Mary Foster, Senior Surveyor at StephensonsRural, outlines the next phase of the Renters’ Rights Act and what landlords in Yorkshire and the Humber need to do ahead of the new registration deadline.

The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 introduced some of the biggest changes to the private rented sector in England for many years, with reforms covering tenancy structures, possession, rent increases, tenant protections and landlord responsibilities.

A number of those changes are already in force, including the move to assured periodic tenancies and the end of Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions. The next phase of the reforms will include the rollout of a new national Private Rented Sector (PRS) Database.

The database will create a national record of landlords and properties in the private rented sector. Landlords covered by the new rules will need to register themselves and each property they let, while the database will also hold information relating to certain enforcement action, such as banning orders and financial penalties.

For landlords in Yorkshire and the Humber, registration is due to open on 15 April 2027, with a deadline of 14 July 2027.

The registration fee will be £65 per property per year, meaning landlords with more than one rental property will need to register and pay for each one separately.

Further guidance is expected on the precise information landlords will need to provide, but landlords can start preparing now by making sure property records, tenancy information and compliance documents are up to date and easy to access.

What happens if landlords do not register?

Registration will be mandatory, and failure to comply may lead to financial penalties and enforcement action.

The Act also links registration to other parts of the letting process, including the ability to market a property and use certain possession routes, so the database will become part of landlords’ ongoing compliance responsibilities rather than simply a one-off administrative exercise.

What should landlords do now?

There is still time before registration opens, but the coming months provide an opportunity to check records and identify any missing or out-of-date information before the deadline approaches.

For landlords with larger portfolios, it will also be worth planning ahead for the cost and administration involved in registering multiple properties.

If you are unsure how the next phase of the Renters’ Rights Act affects your property or portfolio, please contact the StephensonsRural team.