Landlord database audit trail and privacy concerns raised by MPs
5 days ago | 8 comments
Running a tenancy for my expatriate Father?
12:01 AM, 3rd November 2026, 13 hours ago
2
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Hello, my father is 90, lives abroad and is an accidental landlord, the property being my late Mum’s parents’ place originally. I run a handful of flats of my own in the same town, so it makes sense for me to manage my Dad’s property.
The rent goes to him, I act as landlord in all respects, including signing documents on his behalf. For the tenancy, my Dad’s phone number and email are mine, of course, and his address is c/o mine.
1) I’d be interested to know how close to the wind we’re sailing with this unofficial agent arrangement.
2) I’m wondering whether I will be able to add my Dad’s property when the Landlord registration scheme kicks in. He would have trouble dealing with it.
Any observations would be appreciated!
Many thanks,
Gunga Din
Editor’s note: Assuming England, your father remains the landlord. Put your authority in writing and identify yourself clearly as his agent. Private Renters in Camden For the forthcoming landlord database, agents can supply some details, but landlords must normally initiate registration themselves; a suitable power of attorney provides a separate route to register on his behalf. GOV.UK Also check HMRC’s Non-resident Landlord Scheme, as tax-deduction obligations can fall on the agent or tenant unless HMRC authorises rent payments without deductions. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/paying-tax-on-rent-to-landlords-abroad
Tags:
Accidental landlords, Family property management, informal letting agents, Landlord Registration, Landlord responsibilities, managing property for parents, overseas landlords, PRS database
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Member Since September 2026 - Comments: 28
10:51 AM, 3rd November 2026, About 2 hours ago
Hi Gunga Din,
The part that bites hardest here isn’t agency law, it’s HMRC. Under the Non-Resident Landlord Scheme a “letting agent” doesn’t have to be paid or professional. Anyone acting on an overseas landlord’s behalf in the letting can count, and the duty to deduct basic-rate tax from the rent and account for it quarterly lands on that person, with registration expected within 30 days of taking it on. The clean fix is your father applying on form NRL1 for approval to receive the rent gross. That doesn’t remove his tax liability, it just stops you having to withhold.
Two smaller ones. Section 48 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 requires the tenant to hold an address for notices in England or Wales, and your c/o address satisfies that, but until it’s given the rent isn’t lawfully recoverable. Section 1 of the 1985 Act then obliges whoever demands the rent to disclose the landlord’s identity in writing within 21 days of a written request.
On registration, a registered property and financial affairs LPA is the durable route, though the OPG takes a few months and he must have capacity when he signs. At 90 that argues for starting it now rather than waiting for the database to open.
OJ
Am I a Legal Landlord
Member Since June 2013 - Comments: 791 - Articles: 1
12:32 PM, 3rd November 2026, About 26 minutes ago
Reply to the comment left by Oliver Tandy at 03/11/2026 – 10:51
Hi,
thanks for all your insightful replies on so many topics. are you a solicitor/ barrister?