England’s ‘Register your rental property’ service is due to begin a phased rollout on 15 December 2026. The first region is the West Midlands, and registration dates will depend on where each rental property is located—not where its landlord lives.
The government says landlords of assured or regulated tenancies must register themselves and each property through the service. The current requirement applies to homes already let, or that become let during the rollout. Supported exempt accommodation, as defined by section 12 of the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023, is excluded. The official guidance says landlords do not yet need to register empty homes; a later requirement is planned before those properties are marketed for letting.
The timetable gives each region a three-month registration window. For the West Midlands, regulations commence on 15 December 2026 and the deadline is 14 March 2027. The East of England follows from 15 January 2027, with a 14 April deadline. London’s dates are 15 July and 14 October 2027 respectively. The government says councils can begin enforcement after the deadline for their region.
Registration costs £65 per property each year, with the fee prorated during rollout. Landlords will need to renew annually. The service requires GOV.UK One Login and asks for property, tenancy and rent details, alongside relevant gas-safety, electrical-safety and energy-performance information. The precise documents depend on the property and circumstances.
A letting agent or property manager may be able to supply some information, but the landlord remains responsible for starting and completing registration. The government says further guidance for agents will be published before launch. Landlords with properties in several regions can register them together once the service opens, but must meet each property’s local deadline.
A practical first step is to check the address-based timetable and gather current records for each let property. Do not treat the rollout announcement as a request to register immediately: the service is scheduled to open from December, and requirements for empty homes and public property searches are due to be explained further.
This article summarises government guidance checked on 21 October 2026. Confirm current requirements and dates on GOV.UK before acting; this is general information, not legal advice.
Official guidance: https://housinghub.campaign.gov.uk/renting-is-changing/get-ready-to-register/