8 minute read
Key points
- The landlord database (PRS database) is not yet in force, and the dates and fee come from draft regulations.
- The draft proposes a start date of 15 May 2027 and a deadline of 14 August 2027 for the North West, at £65 per property a year.
- The landlord starts and ends each registration, and an agent can upload the details.
- Penalties of up to £7,000 are proposed for not registering, inaccurate entries or marketing an unregistered property.
- Once in force, you cannot get a possession order for an unregistered property, except on Grounds 7A and 14.
- Start getting ready now by listing your properties and keeping your records in one place.
This guide is for Tameside landlords with houses, flats or house share rooms in Ashton-under-Lyne, Stalybridge, Hyde and the surrounding towns. Tameside Council is the local authority for all of these, and the database will sit alongside the licensing you already know.
What is the landlord database (PRS database)?
The Renters' Rights Act 2025 creates a national database of private landlords and the homes they let. It is often called the PRS database, short for private rented sector database. Landlords will register themselves, and then register each rental property.
The aim is to give councils and tenants a reliable record of who is responsible for a home. If you let a house in Ashton-under-Lyne or a room in a licensed house share in Stalybridge, you will need to be on it. This is a summary, not legal advice, and it is correct as of 28 October 2026.
Everything on this page about dates, the fee and penalties comes from draft regulations. Treat it as proposed until GOV.UK confirms the final version.
Is the landlord database in force yet?
No. The database is not yet in force. Draft regulations were laid on 9 September 2026, and we have not seen confirmation that they have been approved. The dates below are the draft dates for landlords in the North West, which includes Tameside.
| Date | What the draft says | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 9 September 2026 | Draft regulations laid | Done |
| 15 May 2027 | Database starts for the North West | Draft |
| 14 August 2027 | Deadline to register in the North West | Draft |
| 2028 | Landlord ombudsman membership expected to become mandatory | Not yet in force |
| 2035 | Decent Homes Standard compliance for private rented homes | Not yet in force |
From the start date to the deadline is 91 days, about three months. Dates could still change, so check GOV.UK before you rely on any of them.
Who has to register as a landlord?
Private landlords will need to register themselves and every property they let. The landlord starts and ends each registration. A letting agent can upload the details for you, but it cannot be the one who starts or ends the registration.
If you use a letting agent
A managed landlord is still responsible. A good letting agent makes the job easier by holding the records and uploading the details, but you cannot hand the obligation over. Agree in writing who will do what before the database opens.
If a company owns the property
If you let through a limited company, think about which name will appear as the landlord. The final rules will say what is needed, so check the company details match your tenancy agreements and your deposit records.
How much will it cost to register?
The draft regulations propose a fee of £65 per property a year. The figure is proposed, not final.
| Properties you let | Proposed yearly cost | Working |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | £65 | 1 x £65 |
| 3 | £195 | 3 x £65 |
| 5 | £325 | 5 x £65 |
Suppose a Tameside landlord has three single lets and one six room house share. If the house share counts as one property, that is four properties and £260 a year (4 x £65). Check how GOV.UK treats shared houses in the final rules before you budget.
What information should you gather?
The final list of what you must provide will be set out by GOV.UK, so this is our suggested list for getting ready, not an official one.
- Your details. Full name, address and contact details, or the company's details if a company owns the property.
- Each property. The full address and the date the current tenancy started.
- Safety records. Gas safety, electrical (EICR) and energy performance certificates, with their dates.
- HMO details. The licence number and expiry date for any licensed house share, and planning permission where Article 4 applies.
- Deposit details. The scheme name and reference for each tenancy.
- Agent details. The name of your agent, if you use one, and what they do for you.
Getting ready: a checklist
- List every property. Include empty ones, because an empty property you plan to advertise needs to be ready too.
- Gather the records above. Put them in one place, with dates.
- Check your compliance. Deposits protected, certificates in date and any HMO licence current. Our landlord compliance guide and deposit guide help.
- Decide who will register. You, or an agent uploading on your behalf.
- Set a reminder. Diarise 15 May 2027 and check GOV.UK for the final dates.
- Budget the fee. Use the proposed £65 per property a year as a planning figure.
What are the penalties for not registering?
The draft says a landlord can face a penalty of up to £7,000 for not registering, for inaccurate entries, or for marketing a property that is not registered. Giving false information is a criminal offence.
The marketing point matters. The draft treats advertising a property that is not registered as a breach in its own right, so do not advertise a room or a house until the registration is done. Keep your entries accurate and up to date as tenants and certificates change.
Mistakes to avoid
- Waiting for the deadline. The deadline is in August 2027, but the possession restriction is tied to the start date in May 2027.
- Guessing at the data. An inaccurate entry can itself be penalised, so use your records, not memory.
- Forgetting a property. Include flats and rooms as well as houses.
- Assuming the agent has done it. Check that the landlord has actually started the registration.
How does the database affect possession?
The database is tied to your ability to end a tenancy. Once it is in force, a landlord cannot get a possession order for an unregistered property. The only exceptions are Grounds 7A and 14, which relate to serious anti-social behaviour. On the draft timetable for the North West, active landlord and property registration is needed from 15 May 2027.
That has a practical effect. If you rely on a ground such as Ground 8 for arrears, the registration must be in place before you start. The deposit rules already work in a similar way, so protect the deposit and serve the prescribed information as well. A person decides whether to seek possession, and a solicitor is used.
Example
Say a tenant in Hyde falls three months behind on a monthly rent. Ground 8 needs three months' rent owed when the notice is served and at the hearing. If the property is not registered once the database is in force, the court could not make a possession order on that ground. Registering early removes that risk, which is why we suggest you do not wait for the August deadline. See our rent arrears and possession guide.
The landlord ombudsman and the Decent Homes Standard (not yet in force)
Two other changes are on the way, and neither is in force.
- Landlord ombudsman. Mandatory membership is expected in 2028. Letting agents already have to belong to a redress scheme, and North Point is a member of the Property Redress Scheme.
- Decent Homes Standard. The government expects private rented homes to comply by 2035. The regulations have not been made.
What the terms mean
- PRS. Private rented sector, meaning homes let by private landlords.
- Draft regulations. Proposed rules that are not yet law until approved and made.
- Commencement. The date a rule starts to apply.
- Ground 7A and Ground 14. Possession grounds for serious anti-social behaviour, which stay available without registration.
- Redress scheme. A free route for complaints against an agent.
How North Point helps Tameside landlords prepare
If you use our full management or HMO management, we already keep each property's certificates, deposit details and tenancy dates in one place. That is most of the work of registering. We will help register your property when the database opens, and you start and end the registration yourself.
Our fees page shows the costs, and the fee calculator works out what you would pay on your rent. If you are planning a house share, read our HMO licence guide. For local advice, see our pages for Ashton-under-Lyne, Stalybridge and Hyde.
