Details are emerging about a new Landlord Database, which is one of the major provisions of the Renters Reform Bill. Within the Bill, the government makes a commitment to establish a new Property Portal that would include all the vital information agents, tenants and landlords need to know. This information would range from legal requirements to rights and the landlord’s history of compliance.

It would include a landlord database containing details of people who are, or who intend to become, residential landlords; details of properties which are, or are intended to be, let as residential properties; and details of landlords who have received banning orders, including details of financial penalties or convictions relating to banning orders.

Under the Bill’s provisions, a letting agent or landlord would be unable to let or market a property to rent if there is no active landlord or property entry for that property registered on the database. And if a landlord fails to join the database, they will be fined up to £5,000 by their local council. Repeated offences could lead up to fines of £30,000. 

Propertymark stated: ‘It will be the expectation that letting agents will need to check if a landlord and property are correctly registered on the database before they market a property for let. Property agents will face penalties if they advertise or market residential properties for rent which are not registered.’