For the past year, much of the discussion surrounding the Renters’ Rights Act has focused on the headline-grabbing reforms. The abolition of Section 21. The end of fixed-term tenancies. Changes to possession grounds. Restrictions on rent increases.

Whilst all of these are undoubtedly significant, I believe there is another reform quietly taking shape behind the scenes which could fundamentally change the relationship between landlords, agents, tenants and local authorities for decades to come.

The Government has now published its Data Collection Strategy to support monitoring in the private rented sector and the evaluation of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 (late May 2026) alongside further details of the proposed Private Rented Sector (PRS) Database. Taken together, these documents provide perhaps the clearest indication yet of how the Government intends to regulate the private rented sector in the future. The message is simple. The future of regulation will be driven by data.

For many landlords, this may prove to be one of the most important developments arising from the Renters’ Rights Act.

The end of the invisible landlord
Historically, many landlords have operated relatively independently. Provided properties were safe, tenants were happy and the rent was paid, some landlords may have gone years without any interaction whatsoever with their local authority, but councils have often struggled to identify rental properties within their area.

Unless a tenant made a complaint, a licensing scheme existed, or a specific issue came to light, many properties remained largely invisible to enforcement teams. The Government now appears determined to change that.