Registering is only the start: the 28-day update duty in the draft rules
The draft register regulations expect landlords to keep each property's entry current, updating it within 28 days when details change. That includes every new gas safety check, EICR and EPC.
Most coverage of the new landlord register has focused on the £65 fee. The bigger job for many landlords may be keeping each entry up to date afterwards.
The government has published the Private Rented Sector Database Regulations 2026 in draft. According to an analysis by Property118, the draft sets two 28-day time limits:
- When you first register a let property, you can create the entry and add the tenancy and safety details within 28 days. If you don't, the entry becomes inactive.
- After that, an active entry has to be updated within 28 days of any of its information going out of date.
What counts as a change
Property118's reading of the draft lists changes such as:
- a new gas safety check (so, at least once a year per property with gas)
- a renewed electrical report (EICR) or a new EIC
- a new EPC
- a rent increase
- a change in who lives at the property
- a licence renewal or a new managing agent
The operator hasn't yet said exactly how "out of date" will be judged, and the regulations are still in draft, so details may change.
Why it matters
A missed update doesn't switch an entry off by itself, but it is a legal duty. Breaching it can attract a civil penalty of up to £7,000. Separately, a court generally can't grant possession unless the landlord's and the property's entries are active.
What to do now
- Make a list of every certificate per property and when it expires. Our free certificate reader pulls the dates straight from your PDFs, and your files never leave your device.
- Put each renewal date in your calendar, with a second reminder to update the register within 28 days.
General information, not legal advice. The regulations are in draft and may change. LandlordsReady is independent and not part of the government.