The government has acknowledged that the £65 annual fee for the Private Rented Sector (PRS) Database is higher than originally estimated. However, it maintains that the charge remains "fair and sustainable" for landlords.
Responding to a written parliamentary question, Labour peer Baroness Taylor of Stevenage stated that the £65 annual registration fee, charged per property, is intended to help fund council enforcement activity. This funding will support councils in building staff and skills to identify and address non-compliance in the private rented sector.
Baroness Taylor also addressed landlord privacy concerns, confirming that future legislation will outline how information on the database will be accessed and made publicly available. The government is assessing its services against the National Cyber Security Centre Cyber Assessment Framework and conducting penetration testing.
Consideration is also being given to bulk payment options for landlords with larger portfolios, though no specific commitment or criteria for qualification have been provided. The government believes this approach would offer greater value than manual bulk uploads.