The Government has now published further information confirming when landlords will need to register, how much it will cost and the information that will be required.

When will you need to register?

The new “Register your rental property” service will be introduced regionally across England.

For properties in Essex and Suffolk, which fall within the East of England, the requirement will commence on:

15 January 2027

Landlords will then have a three-month registration window, meaning properties must be registered by:

14 April 2027

After this date, local authorities will be able to take enforcement action against landlords who have failed to comply.

How much will it cost?

The Government has confirmed an annual registration fee of:

£65 per property, per year

Therefore, a landlord with three rental properties would currently pay £195 each year to maintain their registrations.

Who is responsible for registering?

This is particularly important.

Even where your property is fully managed by Boydens, the landlord will still be required to start the registration process themselves.

The Government has confirmed that landlords will be able to authorise their letting agent or property manager to provide certain information on their behalf. However, further guidance explaining exactly what agents will be permitted to complete has not yet been published.

We will, of course, provide another update as soon as this information becomes available and will look to support our managed landlords wherever the system allows us to do so.

What information will be required?

The Register will contain considerably more information than simply your name and property address.

Landlords should expect to provide information including:

• Landlord contact and ownership details
• Property address and property type
• Number of bedrooms
• Number of occupants and households
• Current rent and payment frequency
• Whether utilities are included within the rent
• HMO, additional or selective licensing information where applicable
• Gas Safety Record
• Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) or relevant electrical certificate
• Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
• Details of any relevant MEES exemption
• Details of the freeholder, superior landlord or property manager where applicable

The Government intends the Register to become an important part of the enforcement of standards within the private rented sector. In due course, tenants will also be able to access certain information to establish whether a landlord and property are compliant with their legal obligations.

What should you do now?

You do not need to register today, but we strongly recommend that landlords begin preparing now.

In particular, please ensure that the information we hold for you is accurate and that the appropriate safety and compliance documentation for your property is up to date.

For landlords whose properties are fully managed by Boydens, much of the property and compliance information required by the Register will already be held within our systems.

However, the Government has made clear that ultimate responsibility for registration will remain with the landlord, even where a managing agent is instructed.

We appreciate that landlords have faced a considerable amount of legislative change over the past year. As further guidance is released, we will continue to explain what it means in practical terms and what action you need to take.

For now, there is no need to panic – but please do not ignore this change.

The important dates for landlords in our area are:

Registration opens/requirement begins: 15 January 2027
Registration deadline: 14 April 2027
Annual Government fee: £65 per property

We will be contacting our landlords again ahead of January with further guidance and details of any assistance Boydens is able to provide with the registration process.

Link to the Government guidance:

https://housinghub.campaign.gov.uk/renting-is-changing/get-ready-to-register/?utm_campaign=15619694_RRA%20Register%20your%20rental%20property%20announcement&utm_medium=email&utm_source=dotdigital&dm_i=Z6K,9AS8E,OLRXFF,132YLO,1,0,0,0