Government insists selective licensing and PRS Database serve different purposes

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.

Selective licensing and the Private Rented Sector Database have 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.”

All landlords will need to sign up for the 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.

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.