Government orders all landlords to register properties

All landlords in England are being ordered to register their properties by the government, in the latest phase of the Renters Rights Act.

The new national landlord registration service is being introduced to give renters more information and support their decisions.

The rollout will begin region by region in December, and will also aim to help councils better identify rogue landlords.

In the future, prospective landlords will also need to register, and tenants will be able to see whether their landlord or prospective landlord has signed up.

Additionally, HMRC’s Valuation Office will become responsible for decisions on challenges to rent increases in England, helping people resolve rent disputes more quickly.

While the government develops these reforms, renters who want to challenge a rent increase must still apply to the First-tier Tribunal. If they do, they will not have to pay the higher rent until the Tribunal has made its final decision.

By transferring responsibility for making initial rent determinations to HMRC’s Valuation Office, we will ensure that challenges to proposed rent increases are determined faster and pressure on the tribunal system is reduced, giving tenants and landlords confidence that rent disputes will continue to be resolved efficiently and effectively,” said Matthew Pennycook, minister for housing.

“Rollout of a national landlord registration service is an important first step toward establishing our new innovative database of private rented sector properties which will empower tenants, support responsible landlords and help councils enforce our transformative Renters’ Rights Act.”