Landlord database audit trail and privacy concerns raised by MPs
1 week ago | 8 comments
Landlords face paying tenants’ unpaid energy bills
9:56 AM, 30th October 2026, 1 week ago
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Landlords could become liable for their tenants’ gas and electricity bills if energy suppliers are left without accurate details when occupants move.
The revelation comes in a consultation paper published by Ofgem alongside the Budget which would place a legal obligation on landlords to provide that information.
The government’s wording makes the condition clear: liability could arise where neither the tenant nor the landlord has supplied the necessary details.
Separately, it has been revealed that letting agents face requirements to report landlords’ rent income and personal information to HMRC.
Energy debt liability
The consultation paper says: “Government will introduce legislation to Parliament to reform the home moves process, placing a new obligation on landlords to provide timely and accurate information to their supplier when tenants move into or out of a property.
“Where neither the tenant nor landlord has provided the necessary information, landlords may become liable for energy charges associated with the property.
“The reform would place similar obligations on landlords as exist with respect of water bills in England and Wales.”
Unpaid bills mount
The Telegraph reports that research found that up to 40% of around £6bn in domestic energy debt is down to tenants moving between properties without settling their bills.
Ofgem has warned that the total could reach £11bn in the coming years.
The proposals, also backed by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, would help suppliers identify the people responsible for unpaid charges.
The watchdog found that, alongside households unable to pay, some consumers could afford their bills but were unwilling to settle them.
Prepayment meter controversy
Domestic energy debts stood at about £1bn in 2020, before rising prices put household budgets under pressure.
Suppliers subsequently accelerated prepayment meter installations, with nearly 100,000 homes forcibly switched under court warrants and other households’ smart meters changed remotely.
In 2023, Citizens Advice reported record numbers of people going without heat or electricity because they could not afford to top up.
The government intervened after revelations that British Gas debt collectors had forcibly entered homes to fit prepayment meters, including properties occupied by vulnerable customers.
Letting agents face landlord income reporting
Meanwhile, it has been revealed that landlords’ rent income and personal details would be passed to HMRC under new reporting requirements for letting agents.
The Telegraph reports that government documents set out plans for property managers and tenancy protection schemes to share information with HMRC.
Alongside the amount of rent received, the information would include landlords’ dates of birth, National Insurance numbers and tenancy details.
HMRC already issues more than 10,000 notices a year demanding information from letting agents, but the government describes this as ‘a manual and resource-intensive process’.
Expert questions separate reporting
Greg Tsuman, the managing director for lettings at Martyn Gerrard, told the newspaper that the combination of the landlord register and reporting requirements would create an ‘unmanageable’ situation for agents and landlords.
He said: “The rental database should provide that central source of truth that would allow HMRC to deliver on the objective of collecting the right amount of tax from landlords.
“Rather than creating another disconnected process, why not invest that same resource in ensuring that the rental database works for all, in the most cost-effective way for the taxpayer?”
Tags:
energy suppliers, landlord energy bills, landlord obligations, Ofgem consultation, Private Rented Sector, tenant energy debt, unpaid utility bills
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Member Since June 2013 - Comments: 3422 - Articles: 83
3:43 PM, 1st November 2026, About 1 week ago
Reply to the comment left by Joe Bloggs at 01/11/2026 – 11:00
I am overstretched u right.
With all these extra stuff to do think carry out.
And I don’t do any tenancies at all any more, anything comes up, it get sold.
I do have to do meter reading problems on empty houses though.
I go abroad 11 times a year & builder sometimes has to get elec up & running & boy is it a nightmare.
Wun’t be bad if we had a human being in the UK that could deal with it. As we know, they often overseas, cut us after 20 mins of queuing. We all being tortured & developing Mental Health problems by AI.
Member Since August 2015 - Comments: 236
3:48 PM, 1st November 2026, About 1 week ago
Hi Mick, Switch all your accounts to Octopus not the cheapest but far less trouble, they even respond to emails swiftly. It works for me. If you sub meters use Topup Meters, all remotely controlled and digital, no poorly accounted cash ready to be stolen.
Member Since June 2013 - Comments: 829 - Articles: 1
3:49 PM, 1st November 2026, About 1 week ago
Reply to the comment left by Mick Roberts at 01/11/2026 – 15:43
11 times a year? good luck to you. ive had the busiest year ever of being a LL, (despite selling 5) and am also fed up with all the hassle.
no hols. for me!
Member Since June 2013 - Comments: 3422 - Articles: 83
4:17 PM, 1st November 2026, About 1 week ago
Reply to the comment left by reader at 01/11/2026 – 15:48
Yes thanks been recommended Octopus. I’m using E at the moment, as no standing charges on the empty houses I am selling. And to be fair, they have been very good, in the UK, all human, just a bit more difficult when more than one house ie. the app not built for that.
Member Since June 2013 - Comments: 3422 - Articles: 83
4:18 PM, 1st November 2026, About 1 week ago
Reply to the comment left by Joe Bloggs at 01/11/2026 – 15:49
Yeah we’ve only got so many years left on this planet.
And yes busiest last 20 months for me too as for many of us.
Each house sale is approx 80 hours work from telling the tenant to paying the CGT once sale completed. It’s bureaucracy gone mad, 5 times more work selling with tenant in. If anyone sold any recently, they will know, & in 5 years when we even older, the paperwork will be even more AAAAahhh You cannot continue this form till you tell me where the water meter is. There in’t a fxxking water meter. Sorry, we need a location. I kid u not, I got the Law Society to drop it after months of torture. If anyone can recall seeing the question if their solicitor used Infotrack.
Yes 11 times, not 10, not 9, 11. Cheap Ryanair I hasten to add though.
4 year old Grandkid now.
Keep going & be slave to the Govt & Councils.
Or use the time to take kid away here for priceless times:
HolLanzaroteRoganVikSanAntonioPuertoDelCarmenTues20Oct2026 https://photos.app.goo.gl/4QHtwSB6SQfyMVEv9
I’ve seen too many Landlords & Landlady’s get old, grey hair, grey & beige suits, go to all these Landlord meetings, not live life, before they know it, they 75 & not had mad times. Landlording became their life which is what this Govt are causing us to do. Soon Property database another 40 hours work for me between Feb & May. Where am I gonna find 40 hours from just like that? I’ve 4 holidays in that period Oops I’m in for it now.
Member Since June 2013 - Comments: 829 - Articles: 1
4:39 PM, 1st November 2026, About 1 week ago
Reply to the comment left by Mick Roberts at 01/11/2026 – 16:18
conveyancers are the very worst profession. sold three of mine back to council vacant and they asked me a shedload of stupid questions about the block which their client owns! still had to answer.
Member Since June 2013 - Comments: 3422 - Articles: 83
5:01 PM, 1st November 2026, About 1 week ago
Reply to the comment left by Joe Bloggs at 01/11/2026 – 16:39
Yes it really is torturing me. I’ve sold 35 since Feb 25.
Is this property on a lateral view?
What is a lateral view?
How the fxxk do I know?
They mean is it on one level. Well fxxking say that then.
You fitted a door 2009.
Aah right OK.
3 weeks later the opposite conveyancer comes back & says Mick, you fitted the door 2008, why didn’t u know that?
I fit 20 fxxking doors a fxxking year, I can’t even tell u what I did last week.
Just recently & people will know this, Law society additional questions are:
What date did u buy this house?
I have no fxxking clue, I have bought dozens over the years & this was 25 years ago I bought it. I have to make a date up. It gives me headache.
What is the MPAN?
My tenants have no clue whatsoever & the form won’t let u continue. I have to lie & make something up.
The form is geared more towards mobile phones, super slow & glitchy on PC but no warning to tell us that.
Member Since April 2018 - Comments: 703
5:23 PM, 1st November 2026, About 1 week ago
Reply to the comment left by reader at 31/10/2026 – 11:31
A court or tribunal will probably say it’s an unfair clause, which I get all the time now from letting agents. My property, my clause, take it or leave it, but no the State owns your property.
Member Since April 2018 - Comments: 703
5:27 PM, 1st November 2026, About 1 week ago
Reply to the comment left by Joe Bloggs at 01/11/2026 – 11:00
I find Utility companies won’t take my reading as they say it’s the tenant’s account so data protected, so how can landlords be held responsible , unless that changes. Let’s just see how much of our data is protected on the database!
Member Since April 2018 - Comments: 703
5:28 PM, 1st November 2026, About 1 week ago
Reply to the comment left by Neil Robb at 13:12
Blimey he has housed more benefit tenants than the government/council.