The government has published further guidance on its Register your rental property service, the new national database introduced under the Renters’ Rights Act.

For landlords with properties in the East of England, including Essex and Suffolk, the registration period runs from 15 January to 14 April 2027. Relevant occupied properties must be registered before midnight on 14 April 2027.  It is important to note this is separate from the selective/mandatory licensing register.

Although there is time to prepare, landlords will need to take an active role, even if a letting agent manages their property. Here is what the new guidance means for you.

WHO NEEDS TO REGISTER?

Private landlords letting properties in England on assured or regulated tenancies must register both themselves and their rental properties. This includes individual landlords and organisations, such as limited companies.

For jointly owned rental properties, each joint landlord must register individually. One registers the property and invites the others to join that property registration. The guidance says this can include an owner entitled to possession even where they are not named as a landlord on the tenancy agreement.

There is an exception for qualifying supported exempt accommodation.

During the initial rollout, the requirement applies to properties that are already let or become let during that period. Requirements to register empty properties before marketing, and to include registration numbers in adverts, will follow later.

WHEN MUST LOCAL LANDLORDS REGISTER?

For properties in Essex and Suffolk:

• Registration period starts: 15 January 2027.
• Registration deadline: 14 April 2027, before midnight.

The relevant deadline depends on where the property is located, rather than where you live.

Early registration will also be possible once the service launches on 15 December 2026. This may help landlords with properties in several regions who want to register them together.

CAN BOYDENS REGISTER EVERYTHING FOR ME?

The guidance requires landlords to start the registration themselves and remain responsible for meeting the requirements.

You will use GOV.UK One Login to access the service. A paper application route will be available for those without digital access.

Once you have registered the property, received its registration number and the property is occupied, you can ask your letting or managing agent to provide tenancy and health and safety information.

Please do not assume that having a fully managed property means registration will happen automatically.

WHAT INFORMATION SHOULD YOU PREPARE?

You should gather:

• Your personal and contact details, or the relevant organisation details.
• Details of any joint landlords.
• The property address, number of bedrooms and whether it is currently let.
• A correspondence address in England or Wales.
• Contact details for any managing agent, superior landlord and freeholder.
• Tenancy information, including the rent.
• Gas safety documentation where the property has a gas supply.
• Electrical safety documentation and EPC information.
• Details of any applicable property licences.

For a property with an HMO licence, the guidance says to register the whole property once, rather than registering each room separately.

There is a separate 28-day deadline.

You can provide the supporting tenancy and safety information when registering, or supply outstanding information within 28 days of the property registration.

If you miss that deadline, the property registration may be deactivated, potentially leaving you in breach of the requirement to maintain an active registration.

This responsibility remains with you even where you have asked an agent to provide the information. Our recommendation is to gather your documents first and aim to complete the record promptly.

HOW MUCH WILL IT COST?

The standard government fee is £65 per property per year, with no VAT. There is no charge for registering yourself as a landlord or updating your records.

During the rollout, the initial fee will be reduced to exclude days before 15 November 2027. You must still register and pay the applicable adjusted fee within your regional registration period; the later charging date does not extend your deadline.

All properties you register will share a renewal date, based on the anniversary of your first property registration.

What does the guidance for “third parties” mean?

The government has also published guidance for people with specific legal authority to act for a landlord. Examples include:

• Someone acting under a power of attorney.
• An executor or administrator of a deceased landlord’s estate.
• A court-appointed deputy.
• Certain insolvency practitioners, receivers and mortgage lenders.

An ordinary letting or management appointment does not, by itself, place an agent in this category.

Eligible representatives must provide evidence of their authority, such as the relevant power of attorney, grant of probate or court order. They will need to contact the service for assistance with registration.

Special rules apply to the information these representatives initially need to provide. However, where someone has become the legal landlord, they must supply the tenancy and safety information when updating the entry.

If your property is held within an estate, or someone acts for you under a power of attorney, identify who will handle registration now.

Registration is an ongoing responsibility

You must update information that changes or expires within 28 days. This includes personal details, occupancy information and safety certificates.

You will also need to renew registration annually.

The guidance states that failure to register can attract penalties of up to £7,000. Certain repeated or continuing breaches, or knowingly or recklessly providing false or misleading information, can attract penalties of up to £40,000.

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO NOW?

1. Diary the dates: 15 January to 14 April 2027 for East of England properties.
2. Check who must register: particularly for joint ownership, companies and estates.
3. Prepare your information: gather property details, certificates and licence information.
4. Speak to Boydens: agree what support and records you need from us.
5. Plan for ongoing updates: keep track of the 28-day deadlines and annual renewal.

At Boydens, we appreciate that this is another administrative responsibility for landlords. Preparing early and agreeing who will provide each piece of information should make the process easier and help avoid a last-minute rush.

Now the guidance has been issued Boydens will be preparing a service to assist our landlords with the property registration and will release details of the same in due course. 

Furthermore, Boydens will be presenting a webinar on the 1st December at 6pm which will be free to join online.  We would encourage all landlords to register for the webinar as places are limited.  We will be dissecting the guidance to enables landlords to have a full understanding of their liabilities, along with a live Q&A.

To register for the webinar, please hit the link below:

https://www.boydenslandlordwebinar.co.uk/webinar-register

Based on government guidance published on 29 October 2026.

Read the official guidance:

• Register your rental property service: guidance for landlords
• Register your rental property service: guidance for third parties