Rented Housing Database Needs To Deliver Meaningful Results Warn Landlords

November 29, 2024

PLANS for a database of private rented properties risk providing little help to tenants unless it includes meaningful information.

The warning from the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) comes as the Renters’ Rights Bill sets out to establish a database of all private rented properties and landlords in England.

Whilst ministers pledge that it will give assurances to tenants, no detail has been provided about the exact types of information that will be included on the database.

In the NRLA’s view, responsible landlords need to be able to demonstrate compliance with all their obligations, whilst tenants must be empowered to identify homes and landlords that meet all required standards.

At a minimum, gas and electricity safety certificates should be fully digitised so they can be easily uploaded onto the database, alongside already digitised Energy Performance Certificates. The database should also include a signed declaration by a landlord which confirms that a property meets the requirements of the planned decent homes standard for the sector.

Without this essential information, the database will fail to help tenants determine whether properties are safe and secure. This outcome will only undermine its intended purpose.

Rented Housing Database Needs To Deliver Meaningful Results Warn Landlords

“The database of private rented properties must go beyond a basic directory. It needs to provide tenants with clear, meaningful information designed to empower informed decisions on their next home. This will help tenants identify the vast majority of homes that are safe, secure and well-managed by responsible landlords.

“It would be a travesty if the database simply became a bureaucratic list of homes and landlords with little else besides.”

EAN Content

Content shared by this account is either news shared free by third parties or sponsored (paid for) content from third parties. Please be advised that links to third party websites are not endorsed by Estate Agent Networking - Please do your own research before committing to any third party business promoted on our website. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

Mansion tax would hit London hardest

Mansion tax would hit London hardest, as capital accounts for 66% of all homes sold above £2m so far this year The latest data insight from Enness Global has revealed that, should the Chancellor introduce a 1% annual mansion tax on properties valued over £2 million, the measure would overwhelmingly target London homeowners, with two-thirds…
Read More →
Breaking News

Share of first-time buyers opting for low-deposit deals rose 8.6% in October

Barclays mortgage data shows deposits under £20,000 made up 22.1 per cent of first-time buyer completions in October 60 per cent of renters say they would require financial incentives or homebuying support schemes to get onto the property ladder Confidence in the housing market dipped three percentage points to 24 per cent month-on-month, although sentiment…
Read More →
Rightmove logo
Breaking News

Nearly one in five potential movers waiting for Budget before resuming plans

A new Rightmove study of over 10,000 potential movers looks at how Budget speculation is affecting decisions Nearly one in five (17%) potential movers said they have paused their plans due to uncertainty about changes to property taxes in the upcoming Budget The majority (61%) of potential movers surveyed said they were aware of rumours…
Read More →
Breaking News

Latest ONS Private Rent and House Prices Index

Average UK monthly private rents increased by 5.0%, to £1,360, in the 12 months to October 2025 (provisional estimate); this annual growth rate is down from 5.5% in the 12 months to September 2025. Average rents increased to £1,416 (5.0%) in England, £817 (6.7%) in Wales and £1,008 (3.4%) in Scotland, in the 12 months…
Read More →
Estate Agent Talk

Winter property checklist: How to protect your home this season

As temperatures drop and winter approaches, Propertymark, the leading professional body for estate and letting agents, is urging homeowners and tenants to prepare their homes for the colder months with a few simple maintenance checks that can prevent costly damage and ensure safety and comfort throughout the season. According to Propertymark, winter is one of…
Read More →
Breaking News

London homebuyers have paid nearly £25bn in Stamp Duty over the last decade

The latest research from Jefferies London shows that, as many await news of potential Stamp Duty reform in the upcoming Autumn Budget, homebuyers across the capital have collectively paid almost £25bn (£24.9bn) in Stamp Duty over the last ten years, with buyers in prime central London contributing the largest share by a considerable margin. Jefferies…
Read More →