Government confirms councils will use PRS database for landlord enforcement

The government has confirmed it is working with councils to support the use of information from the Private Rented Sector (PRS) Database in carrying out enforcement action against landlords.

In response to a parliamentary written question, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Housing, Baroness Taylor of Stevenage said the database will collect a range of information as part of the Renters’ Rights Act.

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.

Carry out enforcement action

Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town asked: “To ask the government whether, as the Private Rented Sector Database introduced in the Renters’ Rights Act is rolled out regionally, provision has been made for inspections to take place to verify the information provided by landlords.”

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

In response, Baroness Taylor of Stevenage said: “We are working closely with local councils to support them in using the information that will be provided by the Private Rented Sector Database in their enforcement activities.

“Through guidance, we will encourage local councils to verify the information recorded on the Database and carry out enforcement action as appropriate during the regional rollout.

“The Database will collect a range of information which will be confirmed through secondary legislation. We are continuing to explore which key performance indicators will help us to assess whether the Database is meeting its objectives.”

Landlords could face a fine

According to the government’s Renters’ Rights Act roadmap, the PRS Database will include, at a minimum:

• landlord contact details, including information covering joint landlords
• property details, including full address, property type (flat or house), number of bedrooms, number of households or residents, and whether the property is occupied or furnished
• safety information, including gas, electricity and Energy Performance Certificates, to help ensure tenants are aware of property safety and energy efficiency standards

Councils will also gain the power to take enforcement action against landlords who fail to register on the PRS Database.

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.