For the first time, you'll be able to check whether your landlord is properly registered and operating legally before you move in. The PRS Database will be publicly searchable, showing each landlord's registration status, the properties they let, and whether they've been subject to enforcement action, civil penalties, or banning orders.
Every private landlord in England will be required to register themselves and each rental property on the database, paying an annual fee per property. Registration will include contact details, property information, and confirmation of compliance with safety requirements (gas safety certificates, EICRs, EPCs, and deposit protection).
Landlords who don't register face civil penalties of up to £7,000, rising to £40,000 for repeat offences or providing false information. Crucially, an unregistered landlord is blocked from using most Section 8 grounds for possession, meaning they effectively can't evict you until they register.
The database replaces the existing Database of Rogue Landlords and is designed to give tenants, local councils, and the public full visibility of who is operating in the private rented sector.
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