The Landlord Register:
From 15 December 2026 every private landlord in England must register themselves and each let property on the Government's new 'Register your rental property' service. This sheet sets out the dates that apply to you, the steps only you can complete, and the parts you can hand to Snapes.
What the Landlord Register is
The Renters' Rights Act 2025 created a national Private Rented Sector Database for England. The public-facing service is called 'Register your rental property' and is run by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on GOV.UK.
Every landlord of an assured or regulated tenancy must hold an active registration for themselves and for each property they let. You will receive a landlord number (L-XXXX-XXXX) and a property number (P-XXXX-XXXX) for each home. Councils will use the database to see who lets what and whether the key safety certificates are in place; in time, both numbers will have to appear on every property advert.
This applies whether or not you use a letting agent. Using Snapes to manage your property does not transfer the legal duty to register — but it does mean we can carry much of the ongoing work for you.
When it is being rolled out
The service launches region by region, and your deadline is set by where the property is, not where you live. Choose the region your rental property is in to see its dates. Most properties we manage across Stockport and Cheshire East fall in the North West.
This is the timeframe you have to register your property. You can register now if you wish — the Government fee is pro-rated so registering early costs no more — but there is no saving either, so most landlords will find it simplest to register within their window, when their first payment and annual renewal date line up with the legal requirement.
You don't have to wait. Registration is open to everyone from 15 December 2026, and the fee is pro-rated so that no one pays for days before 15 November 2027 — registering early costs no more than registering late. During the rollout you only need to register properties that are currently let or become let; empty homes will need registering before marketing once the rollout is complete.
Who does what
The Government has split the process in two. The landlord must open the account, register each property and pay the fee — no agent can do that for you. Once a property has its registration number, the tenancy and compliance details can be delegated to a letting agent, who completes and maintains them through a secure link.
Important: even where Snapes completes the record, the law still treats you as responsible for the information being provided on time and kept accurate. Our service is designed to make sure that happens — it does not replace your registration.
What we can do – and what we charge
How the hand-over works – after you have registered and paid the £65 fee
When you register the property on GOV.UK you enter Snapes' email address as your nominated agent. The service sends us a unique secure link for that property; we set a password and from then on our team can complete and update the record. You receive a notification every time we submit something, so you always see exactly what has been entered against your property.
We then enter the tenancy and compliance details within the 28-day window, and keep them current: new tenancies, rent changes, renewed Gas Safety, EICR and EPC certificates, and changes in occupancy — each of which the law requires to be recorded within 28 days.
The £65 per-property Government registration fee is paid by you directly on GOV.UK and is separate from the Snapes fees above.
What happens if you don't register
Councils enforce the register. Once the North West window closes on 14 August 2027, letting a property without an active registration is a breach.
Registration lapses automatically if the property record is left incomplete after 28 days, and if every property is deactivated your landlord registration is deactivated with it — which is why the maintenance side matters as much as the initial sign-up.
Tell us how you'd like to proceed
Please choose one option below. Nothing is charged until you confirm, and we will contact you to agree the details.
Your details go to the Snapes lettings team only and are used to respond to this request. The £65 per-property Government fee is paid by you directly on GOV.UK.