Find a property
- 01892 533367Office + voicemail 24h
- 4.9From 270+ Google reviews
- Tunbridge Wells, Kent & Sussex5 Mount Pleasant Road · TN1 1NT
Risk Centre · Landlord register
Registering your rental in Tunbridge Wells.
The Renters' Rights Act 2025 creates a national register of private landlords and their rental properties. Government delivers it as a service called Register your rental property, run by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and you sign in with GOV.UK One Login. According to GOV.UK it opens on 15 December 2026 and rolls out region by region.
GOV.UK's list of regions puts Kent County Council in the South East, which covers Tunbridge Wells, Southborough, Pembury, Paddock Wood and Tonbridge. East Sussex County Council is on the same list, so a rental in Crowborough, Wadhurst or Frant follows the same dates. For the South East, GOV.UK's regional table gives a start date of 15 March 2027 and an end date of before midnight on 14 June 2027. The one thing to do now: find your gas, electrical and EPC certificates and put them in one place.
This is outline guidance, not legal advice. Where your own case turns on it, check GOV.UK or speak to a solicitor.
- Opens (GOV.UK)
- 15 December 2026, region by region
- South East window
- 15 March to 14 June 2027
- Fee (GOV.UK)
- £65 per property per year, pro-rated in year one
- Do now
- Gather gas, electrical and EPC evidence
What the register is
Under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, private landlords in England must register themselves and each privately let property. GOV.UK describes the service as one you use through GOV.UK One Login, with the option of verifying your identity.
Government says the register gives councils data to find non-compliant landlords and properties. It also says it intends the register to replace the private-sector side of the Database of Rogue Landlords.
The dates that apply to Tunbridge Wells
The deadline follows where the property is, not where you live. A Kent landlord with a flat in another region meets that region's deadline for that flat. Sources for the dates: GOV.UK's guidance for landlords and its news story.
| What | Date | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Service opens | 15 December 2026, starting in the West Midlands | GOV.UK news story |
| South East starts | 15 March 2027 | GOV.UK regional table |
| South East deadline | Before midnight on 14 June 2027 | GOV.UK regional table |
| Every landlord actively letting must be registered | 14 November 2027 | GOV.UK news story |
Where these dates come from
The dates and the £65 fee are the ones GOV.UK publishes in its guidance for landlords, dated 29 October 2026. Its list of regions and their councils puts Kent and East Sussex in the South East. The Private Rented Sector Database Regulations 2026, which set out the regions in law, were on legislation.gov.uk, when we checked on 14 November 2026, only as a draft statutory instrument. The draft says it has been laid before and approved by each House of Parliament, but we have not seen a final "made" version. The draft lists Kent County Council in the South East. Check GOV.UK for the latest before you plan around a date.
Who has to register
- Landlords
- Landlords of properties let on assured or regulated tenancies, including organisations. You register yourself and then each property.
- Joint landlords
- Each joint landlord must register. One registers the property and invites the others. GOV.UK says a part-owner entitled to possession must register as a joint landlord even if they are not named on the tenancy.
- One registration per property
- Each property is registered separately. For a house in multiple occupation (HMO), GOV.UK says to do one registration for the whole property, not one per room.
- Only let properties for now
- During the rollout, GOV.UK says you only need to register properties that are let, or become let, in that period. Later, empty properties are to be registered before marketing, with landlord and property numbers in written adverts. No date has been given for that.
- Not covered
- GOV.UK says supported exempt accommodation is excluded. If you are unsure whether your property is covered, check GOV.UK.
What you will need to hand
From GOV.UK's guidance for landlords and its Housing Hub page on getting ready to register. You can enter the evidence when you register, or register first and add the rest within 28 days.
| Item | What GOV.UK says |
|---|---|
| Your details | For an individual: name, date of birth, residential address, phone and email |
| Property details | Address, bedrooms, current rental status, a correspondence address in England or Wales, and contacts for managing agents, superior landlords and freeholders |
| Gas safety | A copy of the gas safety record and its issue date, if the property has a gas supply |
| Electrical safety | A copy of the EICR (or an Electrical Installation Certificate) and its expiry date |
| Energy performance | Evidence of the EPC, or the tenancy start date, and any minimum energy efficiency exemption |
| Tenancy | Information about the tenancy, including the rent |
| Licences | Any HMO or other licences |
Fee, renewal and updates
- The fee
- GOV.UK says £65 per property per year, not subject to VAT, with no charge for registering yourself or for updating your records. GOV.UK also says the fee is tax-deductible and suggests checking HMRC guidance when you file.
- Year one
- During the rollout, GOV.UK says the first-year fee is adjusted to ignore any days before 15 November 2027. Its worked examples are £5.34 for registering on 15 December 2026 and £39.60 for registering on 25 June 2027. By our working from GOV.UK's formula, a property registered on 15 March 2027 would pay about £21.48 for its first year and one registered on 14 June 2027 about £37.65. The service will show the exact amount when you pay.
- Renewal
- Registration is annual. All your properties share one renewal date, one year from when you registered your first. GOV.UK says you pay annually to keep properties on the service; we have not seen what happens if the date is missed.
- Changes
- Anything that changes or expires must be updated within 28 days. A record left incomplete after 28 days may be deactivated.
Where a managing agent fits
GOV.UK says you must start the registration yourself and you stay responsible for meeting the requirements. Once you have the property registration number and the property is occupied, you can ask a letting or property manager to supply tenancy and health and safety information. You must make sure the record is complete within 28 days.
Landlord numbers are formatted L-XXXX-XXXX and property numbers P-XXXX-XXXX. For our own service: on Gold and Platinum, Compliance Care, which includes PRS Database registration support when the rollout begins, is included within management. Bronze and Silver landlords can add Compliance Care for the same support. See the fee schedule for what each includes.
If you do not register
The Act provides for the following. We could not confirm from a primary source exactly when enforcement of the database duties starts, so read this as what the Act provides for, not as a date you will be fined from.
| Provision | What the Act or GOV.UK says |
|---|---|
| Failing to register, advertising or keep entries up to date | A council can impose a civil penalty of up to £7,000 |
| False or misleading information given knowingly or recklessly, or continuing or repeated breaches | A civil penalty of up to £40,000; GOV.UK adds that serious offences could lead to prosecution |
| Marketing a dwelling to let | The Act bars marketing without an active landlord entry and an active dwelling entry. GOV.UK says this is not yet applied to empty properties |
| Possession | While you are in breach of the duty to have active landlord and dwelling entries, the court may not make a possession order, except on Ground 7A or Ground 14 (anti-social behaviour grounds). GOV.UK says landlords will always be able to rectify non-compliance |
| Rent repayment orders | GOV.UK says tenants can apply for these for false information or repeated breaches, once the registration period for the property's area has opened |
Not yet confirmed
The commencement regulations that brought financial penalties into force on 1 May 2026 left out the database penalty section (section 91), and the National Residential Landlords Association says further legislation is needed before councils use these powers. We have not seen a primary source that settles when the penalty, possession-bar and offence sections start for the database. GOV.UK's landlord guidance already warns of the penalties, so plan as though they apply and check GOV.UK for the latest.
What is not known yet
- Public visibility
- GOV.UK says nothing is shared publicly for now, and that some landlord and property information may be viewable in future. The list of public information is to be published later.
- Empty properties
- The date when registration before marketing, and numbers in adverts, becomes compulsory has not been given.
- Deposit details
- Deposit protection is not on GOV.UK's published list of items to provide. We cannot say whether it will be asked for.
- The live service
- It is due to open on 15 December 2026. We have not seen the live service, so the screens and steps may differ from the guidance.
- Local enforcement
- We have not seen a statement from Tunbridge Wells Borough Council on how it will check registrations.
Downloadable checklist
Before the South East window opens: your checklist
Get these in order now. GOV.UK says you can register early, including in one go for properties in several regions.
Email me the full guide- 01
Check the property's region on GOV.UK (Kent and East Sussex are both in the South East)
- 02
Set up GOV.UK One Login, and decide whether to verify your identity
- 03
Find the current gas safety record, if the property has a gas supply, and note its issue date
- 04
Find the electrical report (EICR) and note its expiry date
- 05
Find the EPC and any minimum energy efficiency exemption
- 06
Write down tenancy details and the current rent
- 07
Collect any HMO or other licence details
- 08
Agree with any joint landlord who will register the property and invite the others
- 09
If you use a managing agent, agree who supplies which information, remembering you stay responsible
- 10
Diarise the renewal date and the 28-day update rule once you have registered
Common questions
Frequently asked
questions.
Specific situation not covered? Call us on 01892 533367 — Mike (MARLA · FNAEA) handles complex compliance directly.
When do I have to register a rental property in Tunbridge Wells?
GOV.UK's list of regions puts Kent County Council, and so Tunbridge Wells, in the South East. The South East starts on 15 March 2027 and the deadline is before midnight on 14 June 2027. The service opens on 15 December 2026, and GOV.UK says all landlords actively letting must be registered by 14 November 2027. The regulations that list the regions were a draft on legislation.gov.uk when we checked on 14 November 2026, so check GOV.UK for the latest.
How much does it cost?
GOV.UK says £65 per property per year, with no VAT and no charge for registering yourself or for updates. The first year is pro-rated, ignoring days before 15 November 2027. GOV.UK's examples are £5.34 for registering on 15 December 2026 and £39.60 for registering on 25 June 2027. By our working from the same formula, a South East property registered on 15 March 2027 would pay about £21.48 and one registered on 14 June 2027 about £37.65. The fee is tax-deductible, according to GOV.UK.
Can my letting agent register for me?
Not entirely. GOV.UK says you must start the registration and you stay responsible. After you have the property registration number and the property is occupied, an agent or property manager can supply tenancy and safety information. You must make sure the record is complete within 28 days.
I own a property jointly. Who registers?
Each joint landlord must register. One of you registers the property and invites the others. GOV.UK says a part-owner who is entitled to possession must register as a joint landlord even if not on the tenancy.
Do I register every room in my HMO?
No. GOV.UK says to do one registration for the whole property. The National Residential Landlords Association says a block of several self-contained flats needs a registration and fee for each flat; that is its reading rather than GOV.UK's, so check it for your own building.
I already have an HMO or selective licence. Do I still register?
GOV.UK's guidance says registration asks for any HMO or other licences the property holds. The National Residential Landlords Association says the database is separate from licensing, so registering does not replace a licence.
What happens if I miss the deadline?
The Act provides for civil penalties of up to £7,000 for failing to register, and up to £40,000 for false information or continuing or repeated breaches. It also bars a possession order while you are in breach, except on Grounds 7A and 14. We could not confirm from a primary source exactly when these provisions start for the database, so check GOV.UK.
Do I have to register an empty property?
Not during the rollout. GOV.UK says you only need to register properties that are let, or become let, between 15 December 2026 and 14 November 2027. In future you will need to register an empty property before marketing it and put the numbers in written adverts. No date has been set.
Can I register without going online?
GOV.UK says that if you do not have digital access you can register through a paper-based application, and once the service is live you can contact the government for support. We have not seen those routes yet.
Can I register all my properties at once?
GOV.UK says you can register early, including in one go for properties in several regions. The National Residential Landlords Association says it understands there will be no option to register several properties at once or bulk-upload documents, so if you have a portfolio, start early.
Explore the Risk Centre
Keep reading on the topics that affect you.
Penalties & fines
Civil penalties, rent repayment orders and the offences that turn a paperwork slip into a five-figure bill.
Marketing restrictions
One advertised rent, no bidding wars, no 'No DSS'. What you can and can't say when you list a property.
How we help
Compliance built into the management, not bolted on — and a free review of where you stand today.
A note
This page is general guidance for landlords, not legal advice. Specific circumstances vary, and commencement dates of individual Renters' Rights Act provisions can change through statutory instruments. Confirm any specific decision with your solicitor — or talk to us, and we'll route you to a specialist housing solicitor where it matters.
Want it taken off your desk?
A free rental health check.
Tell us about your Tunbridge Wells rental and we will go through your certificates and paperwork with you ahead of the register, and give you a rental valuation if you want one. No obligation either way.