My landlord has several properties. Does each one need to be registered separately?

Yes. The register works property by property rather than landlord by landlord, so a landlord who lets more than one home is expected to register each property individually, on the same regional timetable and, once published, the same annual fee per property.

What happens if my landlord just refuses to register?

The government has confirmed that non-compliance carries a fine, though it has not yet said how much. Separately, the wider Renters' Rights Act raises the maximum civil penalty a council can issue for certain existing housing offences from £30,000 to £40,000, which gives some sense of the direction enforcement is moving in, even though that particular figure applies to different offences rather than to non-registration itself.

Will the cost of registering just get added to my rent?

That is a reasonable concern, and one landlord groups have already raised, but there is no confirmed figure yet for either the registration fee or its effect on rents. It is worth watching for when the government actually publishes the amount, rather than assuming an outcome now.

My tenancy already started. Do I need to do anything before December?

No. There is nothing for a tenant to sign up for or complete. The obligation to register sits entirely with your landlord, and the earliest any region's window opens is December 2026, in the West Midlands specifically.

Does this replace my council's existing licensing scheme?

Not on the current timetable. Selective licensing and licensing for houses in multiple occupation are separate, council-run schemes that continue alongside the new national register, so a landlord may need to satisfy both rather than one instead of the other.

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