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Overview
The Government has recently announced the implementation of the second phase of the Renters Rights Act 2025, introducing a new registration scheme for landlords of assured and regulated (Rent Act 1977) tenancies.
Registration will be mandatory for eligible landlords and a £65 annual fee will apply per property.
The scheme is designed to strengthen protections for private renters, improve dispute resolution, and support more informed housing choices. It will also provide councils with up‑to‑date information to identify and penalise rogue landlords.
Who must register
Landlords must register both themselves and each property that they rent to a tenant under an assured periodic tenancy (APT).
A tenancy will be an APT if all of the following apply:
- the property is the tenant’s main accommodation;
- tenants have their own room (excluding shared living spaces); and
- the landlord does not live in the property.
The vast majority of residential tenancies will therefore be APTs.
From May 2026, all assured shorthold tenancies were automatically converted to APTs.
Scope and exemptions
The scheme applies to assured periodic tenancies and regulated tenancies, subject to specific exemptions set out in legislation and guidance.
For example, a landlord may be exempt from registering if you are a landlord of supported exempt accommodation as defined by the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023.
Only properties that are currently rented, or will be rented during the initial rollout, are required to be registered. It is not yet necessary to register unrented or unoccupied properties. However, it is expected that further legislation will be passed in the future requiring unoccupied properties to be registered before they can be rented.
Timing, three‑month window and enforcement
The registration scheme will launch regionally from 15 December 2026, using a staggered schedule to manage demand.
Landlords will have three months to register with the scheme, and councils can take enforcement action only after that deadline.
The registration schedule is determined by the property’s location, not the landlord’s residence or registered office. Landlords with properties in multiple regions do not need to wait for each regional start date and may register their portfolio together from 15 December 2026, provided each property is registered by its relevant deadline.
Regional rollout timetable
Registration requirements: information about landlord and property
To register, landlords will need a GOV.UK One Login.
Individual landlords will be required to provide basic information about themselves, such as name, address, date of birth and some contact details.
So-called ‘organisational’ landlords (i.e. corporate landlords) will also be required to give information about their corporate structure.
Based on current materials, landlords should expect to provide in respect of each ‘registrable’ property:
- the property’s address,
- number of occupants and/or households in occupation,
- number of bedrooms,
- the amount of rent received and whether utilities are included,
- whether the property is furnished or unfurnished,
- whether the property is licensed (e.g. under an HMO),
- details of the freehold owner or superior landlord,
- gas safety certificate,
- electrical safety certificate, and
- energy performance certificate.
What if Landlords do not register, or do not register in time?
Local authorities have the power to issue fixed civil penalties of up to £7,000 for an initial breach of the registration scheme, and up to £40,000 for further breaches. These fines can be issued as soon as the registration deadline passes.
It is therefore extremely important that landlords are ready to register both themselves and their properties as soon as the registration scheme is available.
What should Landlords do to prepare?
- Get a GOV.UK One login in readiness for registration
- Prepare documents and data now so that registration for each property can be completed promptly within the three‑month window.
- If compliance documents such as EPCs or gas safety certificates have expired, or are about to expire, make sure that these are updated in good time before they need to be uploaded to the scheme
For landlords with properties across several regions, a single coordinated registration from 15 December 2026 could simplify administration, so long as each property meets its regional deadline.
