A single register for England
The register is intended to give tenants, councils and government a clear record of who owns and manages each private rented home. It is expected to replace the patchwork of local landlord licensing schemes with one national requirement, although some local licensing may continue to run alongside it for things like selective or additional licensing.
Every landlord will need to create an account, confirm ownership or management of the property, and keep the entry up to date. Letting agents may be able to register on a landlord's behalf, but the legal responsibility will still sit with the landlord.
The likely fee: around £65 per property
The fee is expected to be set at roughly £65 per property for each registration period. That is a per-property charge, not a per-landlord charge, so a landlord with three properties would pay three separate fees. The registration is likely to last for a fixed period, possibly three years, after which it must be renewed.
This is a compliance cost rather than a subscription to a service. It does not cover tenancy setup, deposit protection or rent collection. Landlords should budget for it alongside existing costs such as gas safety checks, EPCs and electrical inspections.
- Expect a fee in the region of £65 per property.
- The charge is likely to apply per property, not per landlord.
- Registration may need renewing every few years.
- Keep proof of payment with your tenancy records.
Documents you will need to upload
The register is expected to require landlords to upload evidence that the property meets basic safety and energy standards. The two documents most often mentioned are the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) and the Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR). Some drafts also reference gas safety records, though the detail is not final.
An EPC must be valid and the property must meet the minimum energy efficiency standard. An EICR must be in date, usually valid for five years, and any required remedial work must have been completed. If either document is missing or out of date, the registration may be refused or flagged.
- A valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC).
- A current Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR).
- Evidence that any remedial work has been completed.
- Possibly a gas safety record, depending on final rules.
Penalties for failing to register
Landlords who fail to register a property, or who upload false or out-of-date documents, are likely to face civil penalties. Local authorities are expected to use the register to target enforcement, so an unregistered property will be easier to identify than under the current patchwork of schemes.
The exact penalty levels are not yet fixed, but the government has signalled that they will be meaningful enough to drive compliance. Repeat offenders and landlords who provide misleading information could face higher fines.
How Signlet helps landlords stay ready
Signlet keeps the tenancy agreement, correspondence and compliance documents together against a single tenancy record. When landlord registration opens, you will be able to download the EPC, EICR and gas safety record from the same place you manage the tenancy, rather than hunting through old emails or filing cabinets.
Because both landlord and tenant can see the same document timeline, there is less chance of a tenant dispute over whether a certificate was provided. And if a council ever asks for evidence of compliance, the records are already assembled and timestamped.
- Store EPCs, EICRs and gas safety records against each tenancy.
- Keep a dated timeline showing when documents were shared with the tenant.
- Export compliance records quickly if a registration or inspection requires them.
- Receive prompts when key documents approach expiry.
Keep reading
General information about renting in England and Wales. Signlet is not a law firm — check your own circumstances before relying on any of it.