Landlords are being advised to carefully consider when they register properties for the new Private Rented Sector Database. Under Regulation 10 of the draft Private Rented Sector Database Regulations 2026, the date a landlord registers their first property could determine the annual renewal date for all other properties in their portfolio.
This means that properties registered later in the year may not receive a full 12-month registration period before their first renewal. For example, a property registered in August 2027 could have its renewal date brought forward to December 2027 if earlier properties were registered in December 2026.
The government intends to roll out the database across England in stages, beginning in the West Midlands on 15th December 2026, followed by London on 15th July 2027, and the Southwest on 15th August. Landlords are urged to decide when they want their annual renewal workload to fall, as registering early could mean a large portion of their portfolio renewals occur at a potentially inconvenient time, such as December.
Concerns have also been raised regarding the £65.00 annual property fee. The draft regulations require fees for making and renewing entries, but a pro-rating formula for properties whose first renewal is brought forward by Regulation 10 is not explicitly provided. The government has indicated that fees will be adjusted during the rollout, but further clarification is needed on how this specific scenario will be handled.
The regulations are still in draft form, and the final wording is subject to change. However, if Regulation 10 remains, the advice is to not register early without first considering the desired annual renewal date for an entire portfolio.