Landlord database: Worcestershire landlords must register by 14 March 2027

England’s new landlord database opens on 15 December 2026, and it starts here. The West Midlands, which includes Worcestershire, is the first region in the country to go live. If you let a home in Evesham, Worcester or anywhere else in the county, you’ll need to register it by 14 March 2027.

What is the landlord database?

It’s a national record of who lets which homes in England, and whether those homes meet basic safety standards. It’s part of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, the same law that ended Section 21 “no-fault” evictions on 1 May 2026. Councils will use it to see who is letting what, and the annual fees help fund their enforcement work.

You may also see it called the PRS database or the landlord register. They all mean the same thing.

When do you need to register?

Your deadline depends on where the rental property is, not where you live. Registration opens one region at a time, a month apart, and each region gets three months to register. These are the dates for the areas we cover:

Cotswolds landlords, check the county. The Cotswolds crosses several regions. Broadway and the other Worcestershire villages are in the West Midlands and go first. Gloucestershire and Wiltshire are in the South West, and Oxfordshire is in the South East.

You can register all your properties from 15 December 2026, wherever they are, as long as each one is registered before its own region’s deadline. Every rented home in England has to be on the database by 14 November 2027.

Which properties need registering?

At first, only homes that are let on an assured or regulated tenancy, which covers almost every private let in England. Empty properties don’t need registering until they’re let.

The government also plans to make landlords register before a property is advertised, with registration numbers shown on adverts. No date has been set for that yet. We’ll update this article when there is one.

What does it cost?

£65 per property, per year. You pay when you register and again at each annual renewal, so a landlord with three rented homes pays £195 a year.

What you’ll need to register

Gather this now and registering becomes a quick job:

• About you: your name, date of birth, address, phone and email. If you let through a company, you’ll need the company’s details instead.
• About each property: the address, property type, how you own it, number of bedrooms, whether it’s furnished, and any HMO or selective licence number.
• About the tenancy: whether it’s let, how many people and households live there, the rent and how often it’s paid, and whether bills are included.
• Safety documents: your latest gas safety record (if the property has gas), electrical safety report (EICR), Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), and details of any energy efficiency exemption.

A tip from us: if any certificate runs out before spring, renew it now. In February and March, every landlord in the West Midlands will be booking the same gas engineers and electricians. If we manage your property, we arrange renewals for you.

Can your letting agent register for you?

No. The rules say the landlord must register, apart from a few exceptions such as someone acting under a power of attorney. Your agent can supply some of the information for you, and the government is due to confirm exactly which before the service opens.

If we manage your property, we already hold your certificates and tenancy details. Before 15 December we’ll send you everything you need in one pack, and we’ll flag any certificate that should be renewed first.

What happens if you don’t register?

• Fines of up to £7,000 for failing to register, or for letting your entry go out of date.
• Up to £40,000, or prosecution, for repeated breaches or for giving false or misleading information.
• No possession order. A court can’t grant possession while you’re unregistered, except on anti-social behaviour grounds.
• Rent repayment orders. In some cases, tenants can claim back rent they’ve paid.

The possession rule matters more than it might look. Since Section 21 ended, every possession claim goes through Section 8. An unregistered landlord with a tenant in serious rent arrears could find they can’t use the arrears grounds until they’ve registered.

What to do now

1. List your rented properties and note which region each one is in.
2. Check the gas safety record, EICR and EPC for each. Renew anything that expires before March.
3. Gather your tenancy details: rent, payment frequency, number of occupants and any licence numbers.
4. Budget £65 per property for the first year.
5. Register between 15 December 2026 and 14 March 2027. Earlier is better.
6. Put the annual renewal in your diary.

Common questions

I use a letting agent. Do I still need to register?

Yes. Registration is your legal responsibility as the landlord. A good agent will make it easy by giving you the documents and details you need.

I live outside Worcestershire. Which deadline applies?

The one for the region where the property is. A London landlord with a flat in Worcester must register it by 14 March 2027.

Is the fee per landlord or per property?

Per property, per year. Each property needs its own entry and its own £65 fee.

Does this replace council licensing?

No. If your council requires an HMO or selective licence, you still need it. The database simply records your licence number.