The PRS Database Explained: What Landlords Must Register and When
One of the most significant provisions of the Renters' Rights Act 2025 is the creation of a national Private Rented Sector Database — commonly referred to as the Property Portal or PRS Database. This online register will require every private landlord in England to register themselves and each of their rental properties, providing compliance documentation including EICR status. For landlords in Manchester and across England, understanding what is coming and preparing now is essential.
What Is the PRS Database?
The PRS Database is a government-run online platform where all private landlords must register their details and the details of every property they let. It serves multiple purposes:
- For tenants: A searchable database where prospective and current tenants can check whether their landlord is registered, whether the property meets compliance requirements and whether any enforcement action has been taken.
- For local authorities: A comprehensive data source for identifying non-compliant landlords, targeting enforcement activity and cross-referencing with other compliance databases.
- For landlords: A central place to manage compliance documentation and demonstrate that their properties meet legal requirements.
- For the courts: A verification tool — landlords who are not registered cannot obtain possession orders (with very limited exceptions).
When Does It Launch?
The PRS Database is being rolled out in phases:
- Late 2026: The database begins operating, with regional pilots expected.
- 2027: Mandatory registration rolls out nationally. Landlords will be given a registration window, after which penalties apply for non-registration.
Our recommendation: Do not wait for the launch date. Prepare your documentation now so that you can register quickly when the portal opens in your area.
What You Must Register
Landlord Information
- Full legal name
- Contact address
- Contact email and telephone number
- Confirmation of right to let property in England
Property Information (for each rental property)
- Full property address
- Property type (house, flat, HMO, etc.)
- Tenure type (freehold, leasehold)
- Number of bedrooms and habitable rooms
- Current tenancy status
Compliance Documentation
This is where electrical safety becomes directly relevant. For each property, you must provide:
- EICR status — Whether a valid Electrical Installation Condition Report is in place, the date of the most recent inspection and the overall result (satisfactory or unsatisfactory)
- Gas safety certificate status — Whether a valid Gas Safety Record is in place and its expiry date
- EPC rating — The current Energy Performance Certificate rating
- Smoke and carbon monoxide alarm compliance — Confirmation that the property meets the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (Amendment) Regulations 2022
- Licensing status — Whether the property requires and holds an HMO licence or selective licence
Enforcement History
- Any enforcement action taken against the landlord in the past five years
- Any civil penalties imposed
- Any banning orders or criminal convictions related to housing offences
The EICR Connection
The PRS Database creates a direct, visible link between your EICR compliance and your ability to operate as a landlord. Here is how:
Registration Requires EICR Status
When you register a property, you must declare whether a valid EICR is in place. If it is not, this will be recorded on the database and visible to anyone who searches for your property. This includes:
- Prospective tenants checking your compliance before signing a tenancy
- Current tenants verifying that your documentation is up to date
- Local authority enforcement officers identifying properties for investigation
- Courts verifying your registration status when you apply for possession
No Registration Means No Possession
Under the Act, landlords who are not registered on the PRS Database cannot obtain possession orders from the court, except for anti-social behaviour grounds (Grounds 7A and 14). This is a powerful incentive to register — and registration requires demonstrating your compliance, including EICR status.
If your EICR has expired and you have not renewed it, you may be unable to register. If you cannot register, you cannot obtain possession. Your EICR is no longer just a safety document; it is a gatekeeper for your legal rights as a landlord.
Tenants Can Check Your Compliance
The database is designed to be searchable by tenants. A prospective tenant considering renting your property can check whether you are registered, whether your EICR is current and whether any enforcement action has been taken against you. In a competitive rental market like Manchester, a clean compliance record is a genuine advantage.
Penalties for Non-Registration
The penalties for failing to register on the PRS Database are significant:
- First failure to register: Up to £7,000
- Continued or repeat failure: Up to £40,000
- Providing false or misleading information: Up to £40,000
For portfolio landlords, the penalties apply per property. A landlord with ten unregistered properties faces potential penalties of up to £70,000 for a first offence (£7,000 per property) or £400,000 for persistent non-registration.
How to Prepare Now
Even though the PRS Database has not yet launched in Manchester, there is plenty you can do to prepare:
1. Audit Your Compliance Documentation
For every property in your portfolio, confirm that you have:
- A current, satisfactory EICR (less than five years old)
- A current Gas Safety Record (less than 12 months old)
- A valid EPC
- Smoke alarms on every floor and CO alarms in rooms with combustion appliances
- HMO or selective licence if applicable
2. Digitise Your Records
The PRS Database will be an online platform. You will need to upload or reference your compliance documentation digitally. If your EICRs and certificates are currently in paper form or scattered across email inboxes:
- Scan all documents to PDF
- Use a consistent naming convention (e.g., `PropertyAddress_EICR_2026-05-02.pdf`)
- Store in cloud storage with automatic backup
- Create a spreadsheet tracking each property's compliance status and expiry dates
3. Address Any Outstanding Remedial Work
If any property has an unsatisfactory EICR with outstanding C1 or C2 items, complete the remedial work now. You cannot register a property as compliant if known defects remain unresolved.
4. Check Your Enforcement History
The database will require disclosure of enforcement action in the past five years. If you have received any penalties, improvement notices or enforcement actions, be prepared to declare them. If you have outstanding compliance issues that could trigger enforcement action, resolving them before registration is strongly advisable.
5. Set Up a Compliance Calendar
Create a system that tracks key dates for every property:
- EICR expiry date
- Gas safety certificate expiry date
- EPC expiry date
- Licence renewal dates
- PRS Database registration renewal (when applicable)
The PRS Database and Letting Agents
If you use a letting agent to manage your properties, clarify who is responsible for PRS Database registration. The legal obligation sits with the landlord, not the agent. However, most management agreements will include provisions for the agent to handle registration on your behalf.
Ensure your management agreement explicitly covers:
- Who registers the property on the database
- Who uploads and maintains compliance documentation
- Who monitors expiry dates and arranges renewals
- Who is responsible for ensuring the information is accurate and up to date
The Broader Picture: Where the PRS Database Fits
The PRS Database is one part of a comprehensive reform package under the Renters' Rights Act. Together with:
- Section 21 abolition — removing the easy route to possession
- The PRS Ombudsman — providing tenants with a complaints route (expected mandatory from 2028)
- Awaab's Law — setting repair timescales for hazards (expected from 2027)
- The Decent Homes Standard — setting minimum property standards (full enforcement from 2035)
Manchester Context
Greater Manchester already has experience with landlord registration through selective licensing schemes in several boroughs. Landlords in areas with selective licensing will find the PRS Database process familiar, though the national database is more comprehensive in scope.
Key Manchester considerations:
- Salford's selective licensing scheme already requires extensive compliance documentation — landlords in Salford should find PRS Database registration relatively straightforward if they are already licensed.
- Manchester City Council has a large and active private rented sector team that will use the database to target enforcement.
- The age of the housing stock means that many Manchester properties require more electrical work to achieve EICR compliance than newer-build properties elsewhere.
Get Prepared with Manchester Compliance
Manchester Compliance helps landlords across Greater Manchester prepare for the PRS Database by ensuring their electrical compliance is in order.
- Call: 0161 706 1360
- Email: Info@manchestercompliance.co.uk
- Address: 25 Holden Clough Drive, Ashton-under-Lyne, OL7 9TH
Renters' Rights Act: What landlords must do now | How the Act changes EICR compliance | Managing compliance across multiple properties