Landlord database fees to reflect burden on landlords claims Housing Minister

Where is the database of dodgy tenants? Sorry you can’t do that. It’s a breach of GDPR or human rights.

Landlords dont have human rights….

Yet more costs to be passed onto tenants.

Article seems to be suggest that fee is at first letting. So you dont need to be on the database for existing tenants. Therefore it’s logicial that you wont need to pay the fee after first rental each year.

Who will have access to this database? Am I going to be spammed by various third parties?

Reply to the comment left by Suspicious Steve at 04/09/2025 – 07:20
if secondary legislation is required, the way I understand it, that *should* involve consultation.

My issue is having my details publicly available for ANYONE to see. If the database is supposed to be available to all potential tenants that means its going to be accessible to anyone at anytime.

I have already been subject to death threats, and threats to ‘burn you property down with you in it’ by (then) and existing tenant (all fully evidence, logged with police by official statement etc), so this is a major issue for me.

If can opt out of the public voting register/election roll etc then why do I have to be forced to log my details publicly on this. Why not make the person who wanted to find out the info also register their full details and give reason why they need the info? If they are looking for genuine reason then they would be happy to provide this VERIFIED info too.

I can’t see MP’s who rent properties out wanting their personal home address listed….

I’d assume the proportionate fee to register on this database for landlords who have paid sums, often well above £1,000 for licences from their local council and who are therefore very much searchable and compliant (if the council are doing their job after collecting the fee) will be about 50 pence. No?

IF the government wanted to improve the PRS (thats a pretty big IF), then they would introduce a database for tenants.
That way landlords could see anyone who wrecks properties, or fails to pay rent, and exclude them.
That would reduce costs, and those savings could be passed to good tenants.
IF.

Reply to the comment left by David100 at 04/09/2025 – 10:00
A key question for landlords when RRB is in will be any history of tenant giving notice on day one and then moving out after two months. It would be perfectly legitimate for landlords to expect to see that information on a database – would any landlord take on a new tenant who has previously shown inclination to treat the PRS as AirB&B lite? I certainly wouldn’t. I’d rather leave the property empty if the market was tight.

Anyone who thinks that is balancing power between landlord and tenant has no concept of the cost borne by a landlord in setting up the tenancy, the risk in letting a third party have occupation of an asset worth often many hundreds of thousands of pounds for a tiny fraction of that amount – without any certainly of even recovering the cost of preparing the property if only two months rent passes. And of course no potential tenant is ever going to say up front that they only intend to stay a short while – it will be putting down roots (I wouldn’t be surprised if it became illegal to even discuss with a tenant what their intentions were over length of occupation when fixed term ends – no doubt Rayner or her ilk would claim it is unfair and discriminatory).

Comments by all are spot on ie landlord’s no longer have any human rights. MPs will probably be exempt from the database until some undercover journalist discovers it.Amazing how they arrest people for mild tweets yet was anyone interested in “Reluctant Landlord’s” death threats and why wasn’t this on the BBC news..Also all companies are very sensitive to the data protection act so why should landlord’s have to put their details online.No additional fee is proportionate as far as I am concerned. It’s just another tax raising exercise because it’s like shooting fish in a barrel.The governments and councils can’t run their own house and many are bankrupt and deep in debt so lets issue crazy fines to top up.

“Proportionate and good value”. Just as the £40,000 fine for not having a licence is proportionate?

I really look forward to the proportionate homelessness when the RRB becomes the RRA.

Reply to the comment left by Keith Wellburn at 04/09/2025 – 10:20
By balancing power, they mean that the landlord should have none.

It doesn’t matter if the ombudsman doesn’t make a profit. They don’t care what the costs are as they can pass them all on, so there is no incentive to keep costs low.

“The Housing Minister, Matthew Pennycook, has confirmed fees to register for the landlord database will consider the burden on landlords.”

Without more, this could mean he will make it very burdensome for landlords as many in his party think we are the dregs of society.
The Ombudsman’s fee will be “proportionate and good value”. Good value for whom exactly? Presumably, free for tenants whether or not their claim is upheld and expensive for landlords whether or not at fault. What weasel words!

Reply to the comment left by Keith Wellburn at 04/09/2025 – 09:56
Totally agree Keith