The New Landlord Register: South East Landlords Have Until 14 June 2027
South East registration opens: 15 March 2027 South East deadline: 14 June 2027 Cost: £65 per property, per year Applies to: landlords with assured or regulated tenancies
The Government has confirmed that its "Register your rental property" service will roll out across England from 15 December 2026, starting in the West Midlands and reaching every region by November 2027. Landlords will need to register themselves and each occupied rental property.
Most coverage is leading on the £65 fee. That isn't the part that should worry you.
If you're not registered, you can't get possession
Once your region's deadline has passed, a landlord who hasn't registered cannot obtain a possession order under Section 8. The only exceptions are Ground 7A and Ground 14 — both anti-social behaviour.
So a landlord with rent arrears, a property they need back, or a tenant they need to move on, and no registration, has no route to possession until they fix it.
The financial penalties are meaningful too. Up to £7,000 for initial breaches — marketing a property without active registration numbers, leaving those numbers out of written adverts, or failing to keep your entry up to date. That rises to £40,000 for serious or repeated breaches, including providing false or misleading information, failing to correct a breach within 28 days, or a second breach within five years. Knowingly or recklessly supplying false information is also a criminal offence.
When does the South East have to register?
The register opens for the South East on 15 March 2027, with properties needing to be registered by 14 June 2027. Every region gets a three-month window before local authorities can enforce.
There's nothing to do yet. But there is plenty worth doing before March.
What you'll actually be declaring
The register goes well beyond a name and an address. You'll need to provide:
Landlord details, including date of birth and contact information
Property and ownership details, dwelling type and number of bedrooms
Number of occupants and households, and whether the property is furnished
Current rent, payment frequency, and whether utilities are included
HMO, additional or selective licence information where applicable
Gas Safety documentation
Electrical safety documentation (EICR/EIC)
EPC information and any relevant MEES exemptions
Read that list again and it becomes clear what this really is. The register is a dated, self-declared compliance record, handed to your local authority. If your EICR has lapsed or your EPC position is weak, registration is the moment you declare it — in writing, with your name on it.
That's the reason to get your records straight before March. Not tidiness.
A specific note for HMO landlords
Occupants, households, licensing status — that's HMO data, and it's where inaccuracies will show up fastest. If your licence details, occupancy figures or household counts don't match what the council holds, the register will surface the discrepancy for you.
Worth reconciling your licensing paperwork against reality well before you're asked to declare it.
Using an agent doesn't remove the obligation
The landlord must start and end the registration process personally, and remains responsible for the information provided. An agent can supply certain details on your behalf, and further guidance for letting agents is expected before launch — but the duty stays with you.
And there's more coming
For now, registration applies to properties already let or that become let during the rollout. Future regulations will require unoccupied properties to be registered before they can be advertised, and both your landlord registration number and the property's registration number will need to appear in rental advertising.
What to do now
Nothing needs filing yet. But get the file ready:
Check every EPC, Gas Safety Record and EICR is current and to hand
Reconcile licensing records, occupancy and household numbers
Budget for the fee — ten properties is £650 a year, every year
Fix anything that's lapsed now, while it's a private problem rather than a declared one
A note from Oli
The £65 isn't the story. The possession restriction is.
For the properties we manage, getting landlords into March 2027 with current certificates and clean licensing records is our job, and we've already started. Registration itself has to be started by the landlord personally, that's in the rules, and no agent can do it for you, but nobody should be discovering a gap at the point they need a property back. That's a bad week to find out.
Know what you'll be declaring, before you declare it
Licensing, certificates, fire safety, occupancy, everything the register asks you to declare is what our compliance audit already covers.
Nola Calm™ Compliance Check — £360 (inc. VAT)
A full on-site compliance audit covering licensing, fire safety, certificates, management regulations and operational standards. We identify what's missing and help you get everything in place.
For HMO landlords in Surrey and West Sussex, that's the difference between declaring a clean position in March 2027 and declaring a gap.
Single let rather than an HMO? Get in touch and we'll tell you what you'll need to have ready.
This article reflects the Government's published position as at September 2026 and is general information, not legal advice.
Read the Government's full "Register your rental property" guidance