Propertymark, an industry body, has stated that the Private Rented Sector (PRS) Database must be workable for landlords and letting agents. The organisation is urging the government to avoid duplicating information already accessible through selective licensing, suggesting this could increase workloads without improving standards.
Under the Renters' Rights Act, all landlords will be required to sign up for the database, which will contain property information accessible to tenants. Failure to register a property before letting or advertising it could result in a civil penalty of up to £7,000. Providing fraudulent information to the database could lead to a £40,000 fine.
Propertymark, which is part of The Lettings Industry Council (TLIC), has previously warned that the PRS Database could become a costly failure. The body suggests that letting agents may face more work, including new onboarding checks and record management, and will need to decide if assisting landlords with registration is part of their existing service or an additional cost.
The industry body also highlighted that registration is unlikely to be a one-off task, as changes in ownership, managing agents, contact details, property status, and safety documentation may all need updating on the database. Propertymark emphasised the need for clarity on who is responsible for updates, how quickly they must be completed, and what happens if a landlord does not respond.