9:08 AM, 30th December 2025, About 2 months ago 16
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A peer has raised concerns over the potential overlap between selective licensing schemes and the upcoming Private Rented Sector (PRS) Database.
In a written question, Lord Truscott asked whether the government has assessed whether the PRS Database, to be introduced under the Renters’ Rights Act, would duplicate existing selective licensing schemes.
However, the government has insisted that selective licensing schemes and the PRS Database serve different purposes.
Lord Truscott asked the government: “What assessment they have made of whether local authority selective licensing for residential properties will duplicate the private rented sector database in the Renters’ Rights Act 2025; and what assessment they have made of the impact of each of those schemes on costs for landlords and tenants.”
In response, Baroness Taylor of Stevenage, Parliamentary under-secretary for housing, said: “Selective licensing and the Private Rented Sector Database have different purposes. Unlike the Database, selective licensing schemes aim to target specific local issues by enabling more intensive proactive enforcement strategies.
“We recognise the need to keep requirements for landlords proportionate and fair. While Database registration brings some additional requirements, we are committed to ensuring these remain reasonable.
“We will continue to review the use of selective licensing as we develop the Private Rented Sector Database, refining the way the two systems work together.”
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.
As previously reported, on Property118, the government previously hinted at combining the registration process for the PRS database and Ombudsman, but stopped short of confirming whether landlords will be required to pay separate fees for each scheme.
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Gunga Din
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Member Since September 2015 - Comments: 222
9:48 AM, 30th December 2025, About 2 months ago
Penultimate paragraph – is that ambiguously phrased or does it mean LL has to advertise/let without first registering, AND provide fraudulent info. to face a fine?
Suspicious Steve
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Member Since May 2025 - Comments: 71
10:12 AM, 30th December 2025, About 2 months ago
Yet more fines. Why £7,000 ?
A friend of mine was seriously injured in a hit and run on Christmas Eve. Looks like the driver is getting a £5,000 fine and 3 points.
World has gone crazy. Not doing your paperwork is worse than leaving someone for dead…..
Anyway Baroness Taylor’s response is garbage. There is duplication of information so tenants will have to pay twice for the same thing. I will made sure my remaining tenants know this when I increase their rent.
Madness.
Jill Church
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Member Since February 2024 - Comments: 67
10:16 AM, 30th December 2025, About 2 months ago
Reply to the comment left by Gunga Din at 30/12/2025 – 09:48
Not all properties are in a selective licensing area.
The database applies to ALL landlords and should include all their properties. Whereas the selective licence only applies to some properties.
Call me cynical, but I would not be surprised if the HMRC will be utilising the landlord database to cross reference to who is declaring rental income!
The_Maluka
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Member Since May 2015 - Comments: 2144 - Articles: 1
10:20 AM, 30th December 2025, About 2 months ago
We all know that landlords are seriously undertaxed for after all, renting is a passive occupation. The database and licencing are mechanisms to attempt to rectify this under taxation.
I do appreciate that the fees will be ‘reasonable and proportionate’, just as the new levels of fines for admin errors are ‘reasonable and proportionate’.
David
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Member Since April 2018 - Comments: 292
11:01 AM, 30th December 2025, About 2 months ago
Well I suppose Lord Truscott has to show he is earning his £300 a day at the House of Lords somehow. Looks like a double whammy of taxes for registration/ombudsman and although people keep saying rents will have to rise I can’t see my tenants accepting this.
NewYorkie
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Member Since October 2013 - Comments: 1607 - Articles: 3
11:55 AM, 30th December 2025, About 2 months ago
Reply to the comment left by Jill Church at 30/12/2025 – 10:16
Now that would be a surprise! The next questions is, if rogue landlords get away with being rogues today, what will stop them simply continuing the same way?
NewYorkie
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Member Since October 2013 - Comments: 1607 - Articles: 3
12:00 PM, 30th December 2025, About 2 months ago
Reply to the comment left by David at 30/12/2025 – 11:01
I think a letter before the RRA takes effect (I know inspections have started), outlining the new additional and unavoidable costs imposed by the RRA… for renters’ benefit, and explaining they will need to be included in any forthcoming S13 annual rent increase.
The_Maluka
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Member Since May 2015 - Comments: 2144 - Articles: 1
13:27 PM, 30th December 2025, About 2 months ago
Reply to the comment left by NewYorkie at 30/12/2025 – 12:00
Surely the notice prepared by HMG, which we have to give to existing tenants before the end of May, will outline the rent increases necessary?
Chris @ Possession Friend
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Member Since May 2016 - Comments: 1561 - Articles: 16
15:18 PM, 30th December 2025, About a month ago
Reply to the comment left by The_Maluka at 30/12/2025 – 13:27
You would think ( sic ) that Landlord Associations would be printing an Addendum for attachment to the Govt’s notice for tenants, explaining the extra costs to businesses [ aka, their landlord, ] which will inevitably as with all business expenses be passed onto end user – customer aka ‘ YOU, the tenant ‘
The_Maluka
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Member Since May 2015 - Comments: 2144 - Articles: 1
16:05 PM, 30th December 2025, About a month ago
Reply to the comment left by Chris @ Possession Friend at 30/12/2025 – 15:18
First, we should have the government’s document which I understand will not be available until March, then the associations’ addendum, then we must obtain a signature from each of the tenants as proof that we have delivered. At this stage we can gather and record the tenants’ reactions.