New landlord registration service and rent dispute changes: What renters and landlords need to know

Last Updated: 18 September 2026 I Reading Time: 5 minutes

Summary

The government has announced the next phase of its Renters’ Rights Act reforms, introducing a new national landlord registration service and changes to how rent increase disputes are resolved in England. The announcement, made by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on 9 September 2026, aims to give tenants more confidence in who they’re renting from and a clearer route to challenge unfair rent rises.

For tenants, this means more transparency about their landlord and, in time, an easier way to check whether a landlord is registered and genuine. For landlords, it means a new legal requirement to sign up to the register, with penalties for those who don’t.

This article explains what’s changing, when it’s happening, and what both tenants and landlords need to do.

Quick answer

From 15 December 2026, landlords in England will be gradually required to sign up to a new ‘Register your rental property’ service, rolling out region by region over 12 months, starting in the West Midlands. It will be a legal requirement, with fines for landlords who don’t comply. Separately, HMRC’s Valuation Office will take on responsibility for deciding rent increase challenges, aiming to resolve disputes more quickly than the current tribunal system.

In this article

• What’s changing under the Renters’ Rights Act
• The new landlord registration service
• Changes to rent increase disputes
• What tenants need to know
• What landlords need to know
• How GLP Solicitors can help
• Frequently asked questions

Key takeaways

• A new national landlord registration service is being introduced under the Renters’ Rights Act, launching 15 December 2026.
• It will roll out region by region over 12 months, starting with the West Midlands, and will be a legal requirement for landlords.
• Landlords will have a three-month window to register once their area is called forward, with all landlords required to be registered by 14 November 2027.
• Landlords who don’t register risk a fine.
• Letting agents and landlords will need to include registration numbers on property adverts.
• HMRC’s Valuation Office will take over responsibility for initial rent increase determinations in England, intended to speed up how rent disputes are resolved.
• Until that new service is fully in place, tenants who want to challenge a rent increase must still apply to the First-tier Tribunal, and won’t have to pay the higher rent while their case is pending.
• The registration service currently applies to let or occupied properties; a requirement to register unoccupied properties before marketing them is planned under future legislation, but is not yet in force.

What’s changing under the Renter’s Rights Act

The Renters’ Rights Act reforms are being introduced in phases, and this latest announcement covers two related changes: a new landlord registration system, and a new way of handling rent increase disputes. Both are designed to make the private rented sector in England more transparent and easier to navigate for tenants, while helping responsible landlords stand out from rogue operators.

The new landlord registration service

The centrepiece of this announcement is a new ‘Register your rental property’ service, giving councils better information to identify rogue landlords and take quicker enforcement action.

Key details:

• The service launches on 15 December 2026, starting in the West Midlands before rolling out to other regions over the following 12 months.
• Once an area is called forward, landlords with properties there will have a three-month window to register.
• All landlords actively letting property in England must be registered by 14 November 2027.
• Registration will be a legal requirement, and landlords who fail to register risk a fine.
• Initially, the requirement applies to properties that are already let, or become occupied during the rollout.
• Under future legislation (not yet in force), landlords will also need to register unoccupied properties before marketing them, and letting agents and landlords will need to include registration numbers in adverts.

Over time, the government intends for tenants to be able to check whether a landlord or prospective landlord has registered, giving renters a way to confirm that a landlord is genuine and complying with the rules.

Changes to rent increase disputes

The second major change relates to how rent increase challenges are decided. Responsibility for making initial rent determinations in England is moving to HMRC’s Valuation Office, with the stated aim of resolving disputes more quickly and reducing pressure on the tribunal system.

Important: this is a transitional process. While the government develops this new service, tenants who want to challenge a proposed rent increase must still apply to the First-tier Tribunal, as before. If a tenant does this, they are not required to pay the increased rent until the Tribunal has reached its final decision.

What tenants need to know

• You don’t need to do anything to prepare for the landlord registration service itself, but once it’s live in your area, you’ll gradually be able to use it to check whether your landlord is registered.
• If your landlord tries to increase your rent and you believe it’s unfair, your right to challenge it through the First-tier Tribunal remains in place now, and you won’t have to pay the higher amount while your case is being decided.
• A registered landlord isn’t a guarantee of a problem-free tenancy, but it does give councils more tools to act against landlords who cut corners.

What landlords need to know

• Check when your region is due to be called forward for registration, and be ready to register within the three-month window once it opens.
• Registration will be a legal requirement, so missing the deadline for your area could result in a fine.
• If you use a letting agent, check that any future advertising will include the required registration number once that element of the rules comes into force.
• Keep an eye on further announcements, as some elements (such as registering unoccupied properties) depend on future legislation that hasn’t yet been passed.

How GLP Solicitors can help

Changes like these can raise practical questions for both tenants and landlords, whether that’s understanding your rights around a rent increase, dealing with a landlord who isn’t meeting their obligations, or getting to grips with new compliance requirements. Our Housing Disrepair team supports tenants dealing with unresolved problems in their rented home, including where a landlord has failed to carry out necessary repairs. Where a rent or tenancy dispute needs to be resolved more formally, our Dispute Resolution team can also advise on the options available.

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