Penalties for not registering on the landlord register
Updated · Information, not legal advice
Short answer
Landlords in England who fail to register themselves and their let properties can be fined up to £7,000 by their council. Knowingly or recklessly giving false or misleading information, or continuing or repeated breaches, can lead to penalties of up to £40,000. Tenants may be able to claim rent repayment orders in some cases. From winter 2027 a court will not make a possession order unless the landlord and property are registered.
The landlord register has real penalties behind it. This guide covers what councils can do, what tenants can claim, and how registration links to possession claims. It is general information based on GOV.UK guidance, not legal advice. If you are facing enforcement, speak to a solicitor or your landlord association.
Penalties at a glance
| Breach | Maximum penalty (per GOV.UK) |
|---|---|
| Failing to register yourself and your let property | Up to £7,000 |
| Knowingly or recklessly giving false or misleading information | Up to £40,000 |
| Continuing or repeated breaches of certain requirements | Up to £40,000 |
| Some of the above (see below) | Tenants may claim a rent repayment order |
| Property or landlord not registered (from winter 2027) | A court cannot make a possession order |
These are maximums. How much a council actually charges in a given case will depend on its enforcement policy and the circumstances.
Who enforces it?
Local councils enforce the register, not a central body. GOV.UK says your local authority may take enforcement action if you do not comply. Councils already enforce many private renting rules, such as licensing and housing standards, and the register gives them a new list of landlords and properties to work from.
Fines of up to £7,000 for not registering
The basic duty is to have an active registration for yourself and for every property you let on an assured or regulated tenancy, by your region’s deadline. Use the deadline checker to find yours.
“Active” matters. A registration can become inactive if:
- you do not provide the tenancy and safety information (such as the gas safety record, EICR, EPC and rent) within 28 days of creating the property entry, or
- you do not renew and pay the annual fee by your renewal date.
GOV.UK warns that an inactive registration may mean you are in breach of the requirement to have an active registration while the property is let. Being registered once is not enough; the entry has to stay active.
Up to £40,000 for false information or repeated breaches
The higher penalty covers two things:
- Knowingly or recklessly giving false or misleading information to the service. “Recklessly” is the important word. You do not need to have meant to mislead. Copying a date you haven’t checked, or carrying over details from an old tenancy, could cause problems if it was careless enough.
- Continuing or repeated breaches of certain requirements, for example ignoring the duty to update the register.
The best protection is accurate data from the original documents and a habit of updating within 28 days. See the 28-day update rule.
Rent repayment orders
A rent repayment order (RRO) makes a landlord repay rent to the tenant (or to the council, if it paid housing support). GOV.UK says that from 15 December 2026, tenants can apply for an RRO where a landlord has:
- knowingly or recklessly provided false or misleading information to the service, or
- committed continuing or repeated breaches of certain requirements relating to the service.
RROs only become available once the registration period for the property’s region has opened. Applications go to the First-tier Tribunal. Section 98 of the Renters’ Rights Act has the detail.
The possession restriction
This could be the biggest consequence in practice. GOV.UK says that from winter 2027, a property and its landlord must be registered before a court can make a possession order. This is being added to section 7 of the Housing Act 1988.
If you ever need to recover possession, an unregistered or inactive property could stop or delay the case at the worst possible time. Lenders know this too. GOV.UK’s third-party guidance expects mortgagees and receivers to register properties for landlords who have not, so that they can take possession proceedings. See receivers, lenders and portfolio takeovers.
GOV.UK says it will publish more guidance before the possession restriction comes into force.
Banning orders
GOV.UK says landlords with live banning orders may not be allowed to register, depending on the order’s terms. The draft regulations also let the operator or a council deactivate entries for landlords subject to banning orders.
How to avoid penalties
| Risk | Prevention |
|---|---|
| Missing your deadline | Find your region’s dates now and plan to finish a month early |
| Entry going inactive after 28 days | Have the tenancy and safety documents ready before you start, so you can complete both parts in one go |
| Inaccurate data | Take every date and number from the original document, not from memory or an old spreadsheet |
| Not updating after changes | Diary every certificate expiry, and update within 28 days of a new tenancy, rent change or replaced certificate |
| Lapsed renewal | Note your single renewal date, one year after your first property registration |
Our free registration checklist lists every field and the common problems we see.
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
Who enforces the landlord register?
Can my tenant get rent back if I am not registered?
Can I evict a tenant if I am not registered?
Is it a breach if my registration becomes inactive?
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.