Receivers, lenders and portfolio takeovers (third-party registration)
Updated · Information, not legal advice
Short answer
Some third parties can register a landlord and their properties if they have legal authority over the landlord’s rental property. The list includes attorneys, executors, court-appointed deputies, receivers, trustees in bankruptcy, liquidators, administrators and mortgagees. They must give a certified or sealed copy of their evidence of authority. At launch, third parties register by contacting the service rather than online.
Not every registration will be made by the landlord. When a landlord has died, lost capacity, gone into insolvency or defaulted on a buy-to-let mortgage, someone else may need to deal with the register. GOV.UK calls these people third parties. This guide explains who they are, what they must provide and how the possession restriction affects lenders. It is general information, not legal advice.
Who counts as a third party?
GOV.UK and Schedule 2 of the draft regulations list the people who can register for a landlord, or as the landlord if they have taken over:
| Third party | Typical situation |
|---|---|
| Donee of a power of attorney | Landlord has given someone a lasting or enduring power of attorney |
| Personal representative | Landlord has died; executor or administrator of the estate |
| Court-appointed deputy | Court of Protection deputy for a landlord who lacks capacity |
| Guardian | Appointed under the Guardianship (Missing Persons) Act 2017 |
| Receiver | Appointed by a mortgagee (for example an LPA or fixed-charge receiver) |
| Trustee in bankruptcy | Landlord is bankrupt |
| Liquidator or provisional liquidator | Company landlord in liquidation |
| Administrator / administrative receiver | Company landlord in administration or receivership |
| Mortgagee, or someone appointed by them | Lender, or its agent |
| Overseas equivalents | Someone acting in a similar role under the law of another country |
Are third parties required to register?
Usually not. GOV.UK says the landlord remains legally responsible for registering and updating, and there is no statutory duty on a third party to make an entry. The exception is where the third party has become the legal landlord, for example a personal representative of a deceased landlord’s estate, or a trustee in bankruptcy. Then the duties are theirs.
Evidence of authority
A third party must give a certified or sealed copy (as appropriate) of the evidence of their authority:
- the document granting the power of attorney
- the grant of probate or letters of administration
- the deed, certificate, notice or instrument of appointment
- the mortgage deed
- a court order
- a bankruptcy order
- an overseas equivalent of any of these
Get the certified copy organised early. It is the step most likely to hold things up.
What information does a third party give?
Information about the landlord, about themselves (name, address, phone and email, and their capacity), and about the property.
They are not required to give the tenancy and health and safety information, such as the gas safety record, EICR, EPC, rent or occupants. GOV.UK accepts this may be very hard to get for someone who hasn’t managed the property. The duty to provide it stays with the landlord, unless the third party has become the legal landlord, in which case they must add it when they update the entry.
How to register as a third party
At launch, there is no online route for third parties. GOV.UK says to contact the service, which will guide you through it. It is considering an online process and will give notice if one becomes available.
Possession proceedings: why lenders and receivers care
GOV.UK says that from winter 2027, a property and its landlord must be registered before a court can make a possession order. This possession restriction is being added to section 7 of the Housing Act 1988.
For a mortgagee or receiver dealing with a defaulting buy-to-let borrower, that matters. If the borrower never registered, the lender may need to make an entry for the landlord and property before possession proceedings can go ahead. GOV.UK says it will publish more guidance before the possession restriction comes into force.
Portfolio takeovers and receiverships
When a receiver is appointed over a portfolio, or a buyer takes over tenanted properties, the register adds a step to the checklist:
- Find out what is registered. Ask the landlord, or the outgoing agent, for the landlord number and each rental property number. There is no public search at launch, so you cannot look these up yourself.
- Check whether entries are active. An entry missing tenancy and safety information, or past its renewal date, may be inactive.
- Collect the documents. The gas safety records, EICRs, EPCs and tenancy agreements are what a new landlord will need to complete or update the entries.
- Set up updates. Whoever is managing the properties needs to handle 28-day updates from day one.
A buyer of tenanted property becomes the new landlord and must register themselves and the properties. They should not rely on the seller’s entries.
How Register-Ready helps
When a portfolio changes hands, the documents usually arrive as a mix of PDFs, scans and emails. Register-Ready (opening soon) extracts what the register needs from each property’s documents, shows what’s missing or expired, and gives you a ready-to-copy sheet for each property. You or the new landlord still make the entries. Talk to us about larger portfolios.
Check regional 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
Does a receiver have to register the properties?
Does a third party have to provide the gas safety and tenancy details?
Why would a lender register a borrower’s property?
Can a third party register online?
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.