Landlords must stay signed up to Ombudsman as scheme set to become mandatory
4 months ago | 23 comments
Government promises to address landlord privacy concerns amid PRS database rollout
8:01 AM, 8th December 2025, 4 months ago
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The government claim they “will try to balance landlords’ privacy concerns with private tenants’ needs to make informed decisions” for the Private Rented Sector (PRS) database.
Many landlords are concerned about what details will be included in the PRS database, which is set to roll out in late 2026.
The government claim they are still determining the exact information that will go on the database, but this could include gas safety certificates.
Will include landlord’s contact details
According to the government’s Renters’ Rights Act roadmap, the PRS database will include, at a minimum:
- The landlord’s contact details. This will include capturing relevant information from all joint landlords.
- The property details including the full address, type of property (flat/ house), number of bedrooms, number of households/residents and confirming whether the property is occupied and furnished, etc.
- Safety information – Gas, Electric and Energy Performance Certificates – so tenants are assured about the safety and energy efficiency of the property.
The government guidance says the PRS Database will replace the functionality of the Database of Rogue Landlords for private sector landlords.
The guidance says: “We will make certain details relating to offences viewable to tenants and prospective tenants. Opening up this information will ensure tenants can make a more informed rental decision, leading to a better rental experience.
“However, we are committed to carefully balancing landlords’ privacy concerns with private tenants’ need to make informed decisions about their housing options when designing a new system. Tenants will be able to access necessary information in relation to their landlord and details of the property, but we do not envisage that all data will be publicly accessible.”
Landlords could face £7,000 fine
The government guidance says it will be mandatory for all landlords and their properties to sign up to the online database.
However, the government has confirmed that for those who are unable to register online, alternative offline methods will be offered, though the exact process has not yet been specified.
Landlords should also know that if they fail to register on the PRS Database, they will not be able to obtain a possession order, except if the ground under which possession is sought is ground 7A or ground 14 (tenant anti-social behaviour).
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.
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.
Tags:
landlord privacy, Landlord Registration, Private Rented Sector, PRS database, Renters’ Rights Act
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Member Since October 2013 - Comments: 1630 - Articles: 3
10:12 AM, 8th December 2025, About 4 months ago
Will it include a landlord’s home address?
Member Since February 2023 - Comments: 85
10:20 AM, 8th December 2025, About 4 months ago
This will not be fair and disproportionate. More damn lies. Just adding a database is discriminatory and I do not agree with it. Why not add all the terrible nasty tenants that have ruined landlord’s lives to the list. We know the answer to that and it’s because you don’t want to house the nasty tenants but expect us to. As always, it makes me sick reading this garbage. The people who are finding it hard to get homes will not be helped by this government and definitely NOT Shelter. People are so ill-informed to keep giving money to Shelter just so they can pay themselves extortionate wages for doing nothing. The govt are toxic against us landlords and are trying to destroy everything we have worked hard for. I hope I’m out before all this cr@p kicks in.
Member Since March 2022 - Comments: 363
10:53 AM, 8th December 2025, About 4 months ago
I don’t really mind tenants having my contact details. Those tenants where we rent direct already do. My worry is as soon as there is a contact list it becomes a commercial opportunity for whoever holds the list. I can see sites being hacked or more likely landlord details being sold to companies for marketing purposes. The average person’s “ confidential” details have already made it one way or another onto various lists that make them targets for junk mail and phone calls. Landlords will get all that, plus extras for being a landlord.
Member Since August 2016 - Comments: 1190
11:06 AM, 8th December 2025, About 4 months ago
Reply to the comment left by northern landlord at 08/12/2025 – 10:53
Will I need my BritCard (digital ID) to access the database ?
Member Since April 2018 - Comments: 365
11:10 AM, 8th December 2025, About 4 months ago
Reply to the comment left by Sheridan Vickers at 08/12/2025 – 10:20
You are not alone.The words “try to balance landlord’s privacy” does not reassure me, worse even than ID cards, all opening us to more scammers.Why not just keep the rogue landlord’s database instead. I suppose “fair and proportionate fee” means fair for the council.Like the deposit protection scheme this is just another way to collect more money off us and as you say is clearly discriminatory.
Member Since June 2018 - Comments: 20
11:17 AM, 8th December 2025, About 4 months ago
Reply to the comment left by NewYorkie at 08/12/2025 – 10:12
Would making landlord contact information available to the general public be legal under the UK’s GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), Data Protection Act 2018 and several other pieces of privacy legislation under the auspices of the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)? Open to challenge, surely. Especially as most would be private households, not commercial offices.
Member Since May 2015 - Comments: 2188 - Articles: 2
11:34 AM, 8th December 2025, About 4 months ago
“fair and proportionate” registration fees, just as £40,000 fines for admin errors are “fair and proportionate”.
Member Since August 2016 - Comments: 1190
11:43 AM, 8th December 2025, About 4 months ago
What happens when the Government turn my BritCard off because my vaccinations aren’t up to date and I can no longer access the database ?
Member Since July 2013 - Comments: 754
12:21 PM, 8th December 2025, About 4 months ago
Since when have Govt cared about a LL’s rights in this whole sorry RRA saga?
Whilst I have no issue with an actual tenant knowing my details, I do mind about it being made available to all and sundry prospective tenants and anyone else who just wants a casual trawl through the database, and I hope that GDPR restrictions will (for once) work in our favour.
I see no reason we can’t nominate an alternative address, just as we do with Companies House, and legitimate enquiries can be forwarded to us from there. Many of our details are also already held at Land Registry, so between LR and Co House, what justification can there be for making our info easier and more accessible to everyone?
Member Since March 2022 - Comments: 363
1:15 PM, 8th December 2025, About 4 months ago
Reply to the comment left by Dylan Morris at 08/12/2025 – 11:43
Just because you are on the database does not mean you will have any access to it except perhaps to amend your own details. I wonder how this is going to roll out. Pretty sure our local council has no idea who the PRS landlords are in the area. Maybe HMRC will notify landlords that they need to register but that will only be the legit ones who actually pay tax not the rogues who will be totally unaffected by the RRB. They will be at no more risk of being caught as they are now.