New from GOV.UK: Register your rental property service — guidance for landlords and letting agents

On 29 October 2026 the government published the full operational guidance for the PRS Database ("Register your rental property service"), alongside separate guidance for letting agents and property managers. Key rules confirmed: (1) Landlord registration itself is free; the £65 annual property fee has no VAT, is tax-deductible, and during the rollout (15 December 2026 to 14 November 2027) all days before 15 November 2027 are free — meaning a West Midlands landlord registering on opening day (15 December 2026) gets 335 free days and pays £5.34 for the first year. (2) All properties registered by a landlord share a single annual renewal date, set to one year after their first property is registered. (3) Once the fee is paid and L-XXXX-XXXX / P-XXXX-XXXX numbers are issued, landlords have 28 days to upload any outstanding compliance certificates (Gas Safety, EICR/EIC, EPC, tenancy details, HMO or selective licence) or the registration is deactivated. Any later changes to occupants, rent or certificates must also be updated within 28 days. (4) Licensed HMOs require a single registration for the whole property, not per room. (5) Landlords can enter their letting agent’s email per property to send a unique property access link so the agent can upload certificates on their behalf. (6) From 15 December 2026 (once a region opens), tenants can apply to the First-tier Tribunal for Rent Repayment Orders where a landlord knowingly or recklessly gives false information or commits repeated breaches.