The PRS Database: What Landlords Need to Know
The Private Rented Sector Database is a new requirement under the Renters' Rights Act. Every rental property must be registered. Here is how to prepare.
What is the PRS Database?
The Private Rented Sector (PRS) Database is a new national register of all privately rented properties in England. It is being introduced as part of the Renters' Rights Act 2025. Every landlord who lets a residential property must register that property on the database.
The database is intended to give tenants, local authorities and the government visibility of the private rented sector for the first time.
When does it launch?
The PRS Database is expected to launch alongside Phase 1 of the Renters' Rights Act on 1 May 2026. Landlords will have a window to register their properties, but the government has indicated that registration should be completed promptly.
What information must be registered?
While the final requirements are subject to secondary legislation, the Act provides for the following information to be included:
The consequences of not registering
Non-registration is a separate offence under the Act. Landlords who fail to register face:
How to prepare
1. Gather your data
Collect the information you will need: property addresses, tenant details, tenancy start dates, rent amounts, certificate dates and deposit protection references.
2. Ensure certificates are current
An expired gas safety certificate or EICR will be visible on the database. Make sure all compliance certificates are up to date before you register.
3. Use a management system
The landlords who will find PRS Database registration easiest are those who already have their data organised in a single system. Pulling information from spreadsheets, email attachments and filing cabinets is slow and error-prone.
4. Set reminders for updates
The database must be kept up to date. When a tenancy ends, a new tenancy begins, or a certificate is renewed, the database entry must be updated.
How RightHold helps
RightHold stores all the data required for PRS Database registration in one place. The PRS Database Readiness feature shows you at a glance which properties are ready to register and which have gaps. When the database launches, you will be able to export the required data directly from RightHold.