Government confirms agents can submit Database information on behalf of landlords

The government has confirmed that letting agents can support landlords in registering their properties on the PRS Database.

Under the Renters’ Rights Act, all landlords will need to sign up for the database, which will include information about their properties that tenants can access.

If a landlord lets or advertises a property without it first being registered on the database, they can be issued with a civil penalty of up to £7,000 or a £40,000 fine if they provide fraudulent information to the database.

Letting agents will be able to support landlords

In a written parliamentary question, Labour MP Marsha De Cordova asked: “What plans the government has to allow letting agents to submit data to the Private Rented Sector database on behalf of their landlords”.

In response, housing minister Matthew Pennycook said: “Letting agents will be able to support landlords with the registration of their properties on the PRS Database, providing certain property information on their behalf.

“Both landlords and letting agents have been extensively involved throughout the Databases digital design process to help shape many aspects of its user interface in order to maximise the user-friendliness of this functionality.”

As previously reported by Property118, the government says the PRS Database fee will be “fair and proportionate” and has hinted at combining the registration process for the PRS Database and the Ombudsman, but has not confirmed whether landlords will need to pay separate fees for each.

The government has also previously hinted that fees collected from the PRS Database will be used to fund council enforcement.