Letting agents and the PRS Database
Last checked 28 September 2026
An independent guide, not the government's register and not legal advice. Last checked against the sources listed at the end of the page.
The landlord registers, not the agent. But agents have duties of their own: the law on marketing and advertising applies to whoever markets the property.
What an agent can do for a landlord
- The government says landlords are responsible for starting and ending the registration, and can agree with their letting agent or property manager that the agent provides certain information on their behalf.
- Under the draft regulations a letting agent or property manager can provide the tenancy and safety details (Part 2 of the property entry) and update active entries for the landlord.
- The landlord remains responsible for all the required information being provided.
The NRLA reads the regulations as not allowing agents to make the registration itself on a landlord's behalf. Propertymark has asked the government to let authorised agents enter information and upload documents without repeated approvals. How agent access will work in the live service is not confirmed yet.
The agent's own duties
- Marketing: section 82 says a person must not market a home to create a residential tenancy unless the required landlord and property entries are active. That applies to agents as well as landlords.
- Adverts: anyone who advertises a home for let must include the landlord's and property's unique identifiers in any written advert. The government has said agents and landlords must include registration numbers on adverts. For empty properties the government says to wait for further guidance on when registration is needed before marketing.
- Penalties: breaching these duties can mean a penalty of up to £7,000, and up to £40,000 for repeat or continuing breaches or false information.
What agents are doing to prepare
Propertymark suggests onboarding checks that a landlord and property are registered before taking instructions, checking entries stay active through the tenancy, and updating websites, CRM systems and portal feeds to carry the identifiers.
Sources
- GOV.UK Housing Hub: Get ready for the 'Register your rental property' service
- The Private Rented Sector Database Regulations 2026 (draft, legislation.gov.uk)
- Explanatory memorandum to the Private Rented Sector Database Regulations 2026
- Renters' Rights Act 2025, section 82 (marketing, advertising and letting)
- Renters' Rights Act 2025, section 91 (financial penalties)
- GOV.UK news, 9 September 2026: Stronger protections and greater confidence for renters
- NRLA: Landlord Database, Register your rental property service
- Propertymark: What the proposed landlord database could mean for agents (6 August 2026)
This is general information, not legal advice. Rules can change: check GOV.UK, and get legal advice for your own situation.