One of the new requirements under the Renters' Rights Act is the creation of a national landlord database and property portal. All private landlords in England must register on the portal. Failure to register is a criminal offence.
What is the Landlord Portal?
The landlord portal is a new national database of all private landlords and their properties in England. It will be publicly accessible, allowing tenants to check whether their landlord is registered and whether their property is listed.
The portal will also be used by local councils to monitor compliance with landlord obligations and to identify landlords who are not meeting their legal requirements.
Who Must Register?
All private landlords in England must register on the portal. This includes:
Letting agents must only work with landlords who are registered on the portal.
What Information is Required?
The registration will require landlords to provide:
The Ombudsman Requirement
All private landlords must also join a government-approved ombudsman scheme. The ombudsman will handle complaints from tenants and can award compensation of up to £25,000. Failure to join the ombudsman scheme carries a fine of up to £5,000.
Penalties for Non-Registration
Failure to register on the landlord portal is a criminal offence. Landlords who are not registered cannot legally let their properties. Letting agents who work with unregistered landlords also face penalties.
How to Register
The registration process will be available online through the government's portal. RentersComply will integrate with the portal to make registration as straightforward as possible for our users.