The Government’s new private rented sector database could cost landlords more than £325m a year, according to the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA).

The database is due to begin rolling out from December 2026, with landlords required to pay £65 annually for every rental property. With just over five million private rented homes in England, the NRLA estimates the minimum annual cost to the sector at £327m.

Ben Beadle, Chief Executive of the NRLA, said: “A well-designed database should make it easy for landlords to demonstrate compliance with their obligations; empower tenants; and be truly digital in every way. This looks likely to fail on every count.”

The association points out that much of the information landlords will have to provide duplicates details already supplied to councils through licensing schemes, which can cost as much as £2,300 per property.

It also raised concerns that gas and electrical safety certificates will need to be manually uploaded rather than being digitally integrated in the same way as Energy Performance Certificates.

Beadle said: “What we have on offer is a costly mess. It expects payment for landlords to provide much the same information as many already give their councils, with no additional benefit to them or their customers.”

The NRLA added that landlords are still awaiting details of the cost of joining the new private rented sector Ombudsman scheme, while also facing a planned tax increase on rental income from 2027.