England's landlord register at a glance
Private landlords letting homes in England on assured or regulated tenancies must register themselves and their rental properties through GOV.UK. Regional registration starts on 15 December 2026. The annual fee is £65 per property, with the first payment adjusted during rollout; landlord registration itself is free. Supported exempt accommodation is excluded.Source: GOV.UK guidance
Not open yet: check your property's regional deadline below and prepare your records. Creating a DR Rent account does not complete government registration.
Step 1
Does this apply to me?
If you are a private landlord renting out a property in England that is currently occupied by tenants on an assured or regulated tenancy, you must register. This includes organisations acting as private landlords. Supported exempt accommodation is an exception.Source: GOV.UK guidance
Quick check
Cautious guidance only, not a legal decision. Nothing is saved.
What this means for you (illustrative examples)
Illustrative: a landlord in Leeds letting a flat on an assured tenancy would register the landlord and the property.
Illustrative: a house standing empty during the rollout does not need registering yet; registering before marketing is a future requirement.
Licensed HMOs: register the whole licensed property, not individual rooms.Source: GOV.UK guidance
Explainer 1 of 3
Does this apply to me?
Alex Morgan explains who must register: occupied assured or regulated tenancies in England, and the supported exempt accommodation exception.
46 seconds
Watch on YouTube (opens in a new tab)Read transcript
Transcript from the final exported captions.
Does England’s landlord register apply to you? Here’s what to check. Government guidance covers private landlords with occupied properties on assured or regulated tenancies in England. Start by checking whether your tenancy falls into that category. Supported exempt accommodation is an exception. If that might apply, check the precise definition in the government guidance. If you’re joint landlords, each landlord must register. One registers the property and invites the others to that property record. One important distinction: creating a Doctor Rent account does not register you with the government. They’re separate services. Not sure whether your tenancy is covered? Use the official government guidance linked in this section. Then check your property’s regional registration dates on this page.
Step 2
When must I act?
Registration begins region by region from 15 December 2026. Use the property's location, not where you live. Once the service is open, you can register properties before their region's start date, so properties in several regions can be registered together, as long as none is registered after its end date.Source: GOV.UK guidance
Deadline finder
West Midlands
- Start date
- 15 December 2026
- End date (before midnight)
- 14 March 2027
Not sure of your region? Find your council on GOV.UK, then check the regions and councils list (PDF).
| Region | Start date | End date |
|---|---|---|
| West Midlands | 15 December 2026 | 14 March 2027 |
| East of England | 15 January 2027 | 14 April 2027 |
| East Midlands | 15 February 2027 | 14 May 2027 |
| South East | 15 March 2027 | 14 June 2027 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 15 April 2027 | 14 July 2027 |
| North West | 15 May 2027 | 14 August 2027 |
| North East | 15 June 2027 | 14 September 2027 |
| London | 15 July 2027 | 14 October 2027 |
| South West | 15 August 2027 | 14 November 2027 |
Explainer 2 of 3
When must I act?
Alex Morgan explains the regional windows, and that you can register before your region's start date once the service opens.
28 seconds
Watch on YouTube (opens in a new tab)Read transcript
Transcript from the final exported captions.
When do you need to register your rental property? England’s rollout starts on the fifteenth of December, twenty twenty-six, with different dates for each region. Check where your property is—not where you live. Each region has a three-month registration window. Once the service opens, you can register before your region’s start date. You must register your occupied properties by your region’s end date. Visit Doctor Rent’s landlord register guide to check your regional dates.
Step 3
Prepare your records
GOV.UK lists the details and evidence you will be asked for. You can submit and add outstanding information within 28 days; otherwise your property registration may be deactivated.Source: GOV.UK guidance
0/9 ready
Explainer 3 of 3
Prepare your records
Alex Morgan runs through the property details and certificates to gather before you register.
40 seconds
Watch on YouTube (opens in a new tab)Read transcript
Transcript from the final exported captions.
Landlords in England, are your records ready for the new landlord register? Start by gathering your contact details, property address, number of bedrooms and tenancy information. Next, make sure you've got your EPC, electrical safety report, gas safety certificate where applicable, and any relevant property licences. You can provide outstanding property information within 28 days of registration, but why leave it until the last minute? With Doctor Rent, you can keep your property documents organised, track certificate expiry dates and receive compliance reminders. Get organised. Stay informed. Visit drrent.co.uk and register for free today!
Next steps
Step-by-step
- 1
Check the property's region and its start and end dates.
- 2
Gather the details and evidence in the checklist.
- 3
Register on GOV.UK using GOV.UK One Login. If you do not have digital access, a paper-based application is available.
- 4
As the landlord, start the registration. You stay responsible for completing the property record within 28 days, even if you delegate to an agent.
- 5
Pay the fee and keep your landlord and property numbers.
- 6
Update anything that changes or expires within 28 days.
Ownership
Joint owners, companies and agents
- Joint landlords: each landlord registers. One registers the property and invites the others.
- Companies and organisations: register as an organisation. LLPs and Scottish partnerships register as organisations with details of all partners.
- English partnerships: all members register as individuals, following the joint landlord guidance.
- Letting and managing agents: once the landlord has registered the property and it has a property number and is occupied, an agent can add tenancy and safety information.
Costs
Fees
The fee is £65 per property per year, with no VAT. Registering yourself as a landlord, and updating your records, is free. During the rollout your first fee is pro-rated to disregard any days before 15 November 2027. Renewals then share one date: the anniversary of your first registered property. GOV.UK publishes a worked example; we don't estimate individual fees.Source: GOV.UK guidance
After registering
Keeping records up to date
You must update any information that changes or expires within 28 days of that change or expiry, for example a renewed gas safety record or EPC.Source: GOV.UK guidance
Landlord and property information is not currently shared publicly. GOV.UK says some information may become viewable in future, with a privacy notice published first.Source: GOV.UK guidance
Enforcement
Penalties and enforcement
GOV.UK says you may be subject to penalties of up to £7,000 for failing to register yourself and your property, and up to £40,000 for knowingly or recklessly providing false or misleading information, or for continuing or repeated breaches of certain requirements. Your local authority may take enforcement action.Source: GOV.UK guidance
Tenants may apply for Rent Repayment Orders in specified cases (false or misleading information, or continuing or repeated breaches), only once their area's registration period has opened. Applications are reviewed by the First-tier Tribunal; they are not automatic.Source: GOV.UK guidance
FAQs
Landlord register FAQs
When does registration start?
GOV.UK says registration on a regional basis begins from 15 December 2026, starting with the West Midlands. Each region has a start and end date.
Do I have to wait for my region's start date?
No. Once the service is open, GOV.UK says you can register properties before their region's start date, so landlords with properties in several regions can register them together, as long as none is registered after its region's end date.
Does this apply in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland?
No. The GOV.UK guidance applies to England. Use the property's location, not where you live.
Do I need to register an empty property now?
Not during the rollout (15 December 2026 to 14 November 2027): you only register properties that are let, or become let, in that period. GOV.UK says registering empty homes before marketing them is a future requirement.
How much does it cost?
£65 per property per year, with no VAT. Registering yourself as a landlord and updating records is free. Your first fee is pro-rated to disregard days before 15 November 2027.
Will my details be public?
GOV.UK says landlord and property information is not currently shared publicly, but some information may be viewable in future. It will publish a privacy notice first.
Does signing up with DR Rent register me with the government?
No. DR Rent is independent and is not part of government. You must register through the official GOV.UK service.
Sources and review
- GOV.UK: Register your rental property, guidance for landlords (published 29 October 2026)
- GOV.UK: Guidance for letting agents and property managers
- GOV.UK: Find your local council
Reviewed by DR Rent against GOV.UK on 4 November 2026. DR Rent is independent and not affiliated with government. General information, not legal advice.
How this guide is reviewed
Written and maintained by DR Rent. The review date records when the linked GOV.UK guidance was checked for this guide. Dates, fees and exceptions are summarised from those sources; illustrative examples are labelled. This is an independent explanation, not a government service or a legal review.
Check the official guidance before acting. If you spot an error or a change, contact DR Rent with the source link so the guide can be checked and corrected.
Page updated: .
Related landlord guidance
- Landlord compliance checklist — prepare certificates and tenancy records.
- Renters' Rights Act guide — understand the wider rental reforms.
- Landlord compliance tools — organise records and reminders with DR Rent.
Keep your records ready in one place
DR Rent's free landlord portal helps you organise certificates, tenancies and reminders. It does not register you with the government.
Create a free landlord account