Property portal

The property portal, officially the Private Rented Sector (PRS) Database, is a national register created by the Renters' Rights Act 2025 that every private landlord in England will have to join — a single record replacing the current patchwork of local licensing schemes. It is being rolled out in phases, so check GOV.UK before relying on it to look up a landlord.

When does the private rented sector database start?

The GOV.UK implementation roadmap for the Renters' Rights Act 2025 puts the start of the database's phased rollout in late 2026, with registration becoming mandatory and an annual fee applying to landlords. Dates can be moved by further regulations, so check GOV.UK for the current position before relying on it.

Does the property portal cover Wales and Scotland?

No. The property portal is for private landlords in England. Wales already has its own landlord registration scheme, Rent Smart Wales, and Scotland has a separate landlord register run by local councils, so check the scheme for the country your home is in.

How do I check if my landlord is registered on the property portal?

Once the database is operational and public-facing lookup tools are available, tenants are expected to be able to check registration status. As of July 2026, the database is still rolling out, so check GOV.UK for the current position before assuming a lookup tool is live.

Does my landlord have to pay to register on the PRS Database?

Yes. Landlords are expected to pay an annual fee to register and maintain their entry on the database, covering the cost of running the scheme. The exact fee structure is set by regulations rather than the Act itself, so check GOV.UK for the current figure.

What happens if my landlord doesn't register?

Letting a property without the required registration is expected to be an offence once the database becomes mandatory in a given area, potentially alongside financial penalties, similar to how unlicensed letting is treated under existing selective licensing schemes. It may also affect a landlord's ability to serve certain eviction notices, though the precise consequences depend on the regulations bringing this element of the Act into force.

Is the property portal the same as selective licensing?

No, they are separate but related schemes. Selective licensing is run by individual local councils in designated areas and predates the Renters' Rights Act 2025. The property portal (PRS Database) is a single national scheme created by the Act, intended to give a consistent, England-wide record of private landlords rather than a patchwork of local schemes.

Will the portal show a landlord's compliance history?

The stated aim of the database is to give tenants, landlords, and enforcement bodies better visibility of compliance, which suggests it may hold information about a landlord's record. The exact fields and how much is visible to tenants versus enforcement bodies will depend on the regulations and system design — check the official guidance once it is published rather than assuming full visibility.

Does the portal replace the need to check other things, like deposit protection?

No. The property portal is about landlord and property registration — it does not replace your separate right to check that your deposit is protected in an authorised scheme, or your other statutory rights. Treat it as one additional source of information, not a substitute for checking your own tenancy documents.

Why the portal replaces a confusing patchwork of local schemes

Before the property portal, whether a landlord had to register anywhere at all depended almost entirely on where the property was located. Some councils run selective licensing schemes covering specific streets or areas; others do not license private landlords at all beyond specific categories like HMOs. That left large gaps, and tenants had no easy way to check whether a landlord was even known to any authority.

The property portal replaces this with a single, England-wide database. Every private landlord will need to register, whatever their local authority's own licensing arrangements, giving a consistent minimum level of visibility that did not exist before.

What the rollout looks like

• 1 1 May 2026. Core tenancy reforms under the Act took effect, including the abolition of Section 21 evictions, ahead of the database itself going live.
• 2 Late 2026. The PRS Database begins its phased rollout, with registration becoming mandatory and an annual fee applying to landlords.
• 3 Ongoing. Local selective licensing schemes are expected to continue operating alongside the national database during the transition, rather than being switched off overnight — check with your local council for the current position in your area.

A prospective tenant is considering a property and wants to check the landlord is properly registered before signing a tenancy agreement. Once the database and any public lookup tools are operational, this kind of check is intended to become straightforward, rather than relying only on asking the landlord directly or checking a local council's separate licensing register.

Until the database is fully rolled out and lookup tools are confirmed live, tenants should continue to rely on existing checks — for example, confirming deposit protection, asking for a copy of the tenancy agreement, and checking whether the property is in a designated selective licensing area with the local council.

Private Rented Sector Ombudsman

Renters' Rights Act 2025

Implementing the Renters' Rights Act 2025 — roadmap

Property portal (PRS Database): a guide for renters

The property portal, or Private Rented Sector Database, is the new register of landlords in England: when it starts, what it costs, how to check a landlord.