UK Private Rented Sector database faces scrutiny over privacy and compliance

The UK government is preparing to implement a new Private Rented Sector (PRS) database, with registration scheduled to begin in the West Midlands on 15 December 2026. Other English regions will follow in stages until August 2027. Landlords will be required to register properties within three months of the rollout in their region, subject to an annual fee of £65 per property.

Property software provider Veco has pledged to support letting agents and landlords in managing the new administrative and compliance obligations. However, Veco CEO Richard Murray has raised concerns regarding the effectiveness of the system, questioning whether it will successfully identify rogue operators or simply increase the regulatory burden on responsible landlords and agents.

Additionally, the scheme has drawn criticism regarding data protection and privacy rights. Concerns have been raised about the potential for sensitive personal information belonging to both landlords and tenants—such as dates of birth, addresses, and rental amounts—to be made public-facing, potentially exposing individuals to security risks.