Company landlords, joint owners and trusts on the landlord register
Updated · Information, not legal advice
Short answer
Every joint landlord must register. One registers the property and invites the others. Companies, charities, trusts, LLPs and Scottish partnerships register as organisation landlords and give extra details, such as a Companies House or charity number, a nominated contact and, where there is no Companies House number, details of directors, trustees or members. Ordinary English partnerships register each partner as an individual joint landlord.
The landlord register isn’t just for individuals. Joint owners, family partnerships, limited companies, LLPs, charities and trusts are all covered, and each has its own rules. This guide sets out who registers and what extra information is needed, based on GOV.UK guidance and Schedule 2 of the draft regulations. It is general information, not legal or tax advice.
Which type of landlord are you?
| You rent property… | Register as | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| On your own, or as a sole trader | Individual landlord | |
| Jointly with others (for example a spouse, sibling or friend) | Individual landlord, as a joint landlord | Every joint landlord registers |
| Through an ordinary English business partnership | Each partner as an individual, as joint landlords | Follow the joint landlord rules |
| Through a limited company | Organisation landlord | Give the Companies House number |
| Through an LLP or a Scottish partnership | Organisation landlord | Give details of all partners |
| Through a charity | Organisation landlord | Give the charity number |
| Through a trust | Organisation landlord | Give details of the lead trustee |
Joint owners
GOV.UK says that when you rent out a property jointly with one or more other landlords, each landlord must register. In practice:
- Each joint landlord registers as a landlord (this is free) and gets a landlord number.
- One joint landlord registers the property.
- That person invites the other joint landlords to the property registration.
One point is easy to miss. GOV.UK says that if you own part of a rental property and are entitled to possession of it, you must register as a joint landlord even if you are not named on the tenancy agreement. If the tenancy is in one spouse’s name but the property is jointly owned, both should expect to register.
Limited companies
A company registers as an organisation landlord. The draft regulations (Schedule 2) ask for:
| Information | Notes |
|---|---|
| Organisation name | Or the name it is known by |
| Type of legal entity | For example private limited company |
| Address | Not a PO Box |
| Phone and email | |
| Details of the person making the entry | Name, date of birth, email and phone |
| Nominated contact | Name, email and phone |
| Companies House number | If applicable |
| Directors’ names, dates of birth and addresses | Only if no Companies House number is given |
GOV.UK says anyone from the organisation can register it. They can then add other team members, who can register and update properties. That suits a company with a bookkeeper or property manager doing the admin.
For small property SPVs: if you hold a few properties in a limited company and others personally, you are two landlords on the register: yourself as an individual and your company as an organisation. Each property is registered under its legal owner. Make sure each is under the right one.
Partnerships
- Ordinary English partnerships: GOV.UK says all members of English business partnerships who rent out property together must register as individuals and follow the joint landlord guidance.
- LLPs and Scottish partnerships: these register as organisations and must give details of all partners.
Charities
Charities register as organisation landlords and give their charity number (from the register for England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, as relevant). As with companies, if there is no Companies House number, the governing body members’ details are needed.
Trusts
GOV.UK lists trusts as organisation landlords. The draft regulations add a specific requirement: where the organisation is a trust, the trustees appoint a lead trustee for registration, and the entry gives the lead trustee’s name, date of birth, address, email and phone number. If no Companies House number applies, which is usual for a trust, the names, dates of birth and addresses of all trustees are also needed.
Practical point: agree who the lead trustee is before the region opens, and collect every trustee’s details. Family trusts with trustees living in different places often take longest to sort out.
When someone else acts for the landlord
If a landlord has died or lacks capacity, or a lender or receiver is involved, a third party may register for them. See receivers, lenders and portfolio takeovers.
Checklist before you start
- Decide which legal owner each property is registered under
- For joint ownership, agree who registers the property and get everyone’s email for the invitations
- For companies, have the Companies House number and choose a nominated contact
- For LLPs and Scottish partnerships, collect all partners’ details
- For trusts, appoint a lead trustee and collect all trustees’ details
- Gather the property documents. See our checklist
Check your region’s dates with the deadline checker.
When is your deadline?
Enter a property postcode in the deadline checker to see its region, opening date and days left. Or get the free printable checklist.
Frequently asked questions
My spouse and I own a property jointly. Do we both register?
Do we pay the fee twice for a jointly owned property?
Does a limited company need to give its directors’ details?
Can more than one person at a company manage its registrations?
This guide is general information about the Register your rental property service, based on GOV.UK guidance and the draft regulations. It is not legal advice. Register-Ready is independent of GOV.UK. For your own situation, check the GOV.UK guidance or take professional advice.