Landlord Advice

Landlord Registration vs Licensing: What You Must Do by 2027

Every landlord in England must register each let property for £65 a year from 15 December 2026, on top of any licence. Deadlines, costs and fines explained.

From 15 December 2026, landlords in England start to face two separate legal duties: a council licence (where your area requires one) and a national landlord registration for every let property. Having one does not cover the other.

Many landlords assume that because they hold a selective or HMO licence, they are "registered". They are not. Licensing is run by your local council under the Housing Act 2004. Landlord registration is a new national requirement created by the Renters' Rights Act 2025, run through the government's Register your rental property service.

This guide explains both, what they cost, when London landlords must register, and what happens if you get it wrong.

£65

per property, every year

14 Oct 2027

London deadline to register

£40,000

maximum fine per offence

What is landlord licensing?

A licence is permission from your local council to rent out a property. Not every property needs one. It depends on the type of home and which borough it is in. There are three types:

HMO licence: needed everywhere in England if 5 or more people from 2 or more households share a home.
Additional licence: for smaller shared homes (often 3 or 4 sharers), only where the council runs a scheme.
Selective licence: for ordinary single-family lets, only in designated wards or boroughs.

Licences usually last up to five years, cannot be transferred to a new owner, and come with conditions on safety, occupancy and management.

Illustration of a council property licence for a row of London terraced houses, stamped licensed

Licensing is spreading fast in London

Since December 2024, councils in England can bring in selective licensing across their whole area without government sign-off. 28 of London's 32 boroughs now license ordinary rented homes, and recent schemes include Havering (March 2026), Hackney (May 2026), Hillingdon (August 2026) and Croydon, from 25 September 2026.

What is landlord registration?

Landlord registration is brand new. The government is building a national list of every landlord and rental home in England, called the Register your rental property service (sometimes called the PRS database).

Who: every landlord in England with tenants on an assured or regulated tenancy (most private lets).
Cost: £65 per property, every year.
When: it opens region by region from 15 December 2026. London landlords must register by 14 October 2027. These dates are expected to be confirmed when the final regulations are made.
What you need: a GOV.UK One Login, property and rent details, any licence numbers, and your gas safety, electrical (EICR) and energy (EPC) certificates.

Illustration of the online Register your rental property form on a laptop, with the £65 annual landlord registration fee

When do I need to register as a landlord?

Your deadline depends on where the property is. You can register early from 15 December 2026.

When do you need to register?

Deadlines by region (Jan to Dec 2027). London landlords: register by 14 October 2027.

West Midlands

by 14 Mar 2027

East of England

by 14 Apr 2027

East Midlands

by 14 May 2027

South East

by 14 Jun 2027

Yorkshire & Humber

by 14 Jul 2027

North West

by 14 Aug 2027

North East

by 14 Sep 2027

London

by 14 Oct 2027

South West

by 14 Nov 2027

Source: GOV.UK Housing Hub, Register your rental property. You can register early from 15 December 2026.

Can my letting agent register for me?

Your agent can upload some of the information, but you must start and finish the registration yourself and you remain responsible for it.

Landlord licensing vs registration at a glance

Most London landlords will need both. Registration does not replace a licence, and a licence does not count as registration.

	Licensing	Registration
What is it?	Permission from your council to rent out a property	Putting yourself and your property on a national list
Law	Housing Act 2004	Renters' Rights Act 2025
Who runs it?	Your local council	The government (GOV.UK)
Who needs it?	Depends on your property and borough	Every landlord in England
Cost	Set by your council	£65 per property, every year
How long it lasts	Usually up to 5 years	Renewed every year
When?	Already in force in most London boroughs	London: by 14 October 2027

What happens if you don't register or license?

Consequences for unregistered or unlicensed landlords: fines up to £40,000, rent repayment of up to 24 months and possession refused

Fines of up to £40,000 per offence. Failing to register can bring a fine of up to £7,000, rising to £40,000 for repeated or continuing breaches.
Paying back up to 2 years' rent to your tenant through a Rent Repayment Order. On a £1,200-a-month let, that is £28,800.
Struggling to get your property back, as unregistered or unlicensed landlords lose many legal grounds to evict. With Section 21 abolished under the Renters' Reform, that can leave you unable to recover the property at all.

Penalty notice with a red FINED stamp: an unregistered landlord fined £40,000

How KAPS can help

Licensing and registration are two separate jobs, with two sets of deadlines. KAPS London can check whether your properties need a licence, get your safety certificates in order, and make sure you are ready to register well before your deadline. See our property management services.

Get in touch with KAPS London today for a compliance check. Contact us.

KAPS London landlord compliance check: licence requirements checked, gas safety, EICR and EPC in order, ready to register

This article is general information, not legal advice. Rules and dates were correct as of 10 November 2026. Sources: GOV.UK Housing Hub, Croydon Council, Property118, Kamma.