Can a letting agent register for you? Agents, joint landlords and companies
Who has to join England's landlord register: why your letting agent can't register for you, what joint landlords and company landlords do, and whether an HMO licence counts.
By Paul Ashley, Founder of LET NEXUS and landlord since 2015
Last reviewed · 3 min read
The landlord has to join the landlord register, even if a letting agent manages everything else. Here's who does what.
If you use a letting agent
Your agent can't register on your behalf. You start (and end) the registration yourself. Agents will be able to provide some of the information for you, and the government has said it will publish guidance for agents before registration opens.
In practice: you create your landlord entry, and ask your agent for the documents and details they hold, such as the gas safety record, EICR, EPC and tenancy details.
Joint landlords
Each joint landlord registers themselves. The property itself has a single entry, which is linked to each of you.
Company landlords
A company registers as the landlord, with its name, type, address, Companies House number and a named contact. Trusts and charities give their own equivalent details.
Which properties need registering
- Properties let on an assured or regulated tenancy, which covers most private lets in England.
- Empty properties don't need registering yet. That's expected to change later, so that a property must be registered before it's advertised.
- A property with an HMO or selective licence still needs registering: the register is separate from council licensing.
- Supported exempt accommodation is excluded.
Your checklist
- Create your own landlord entry: your agent can't do it for you
- Ask your agent for the certificates and tenancy details they hold
- Make sure every joint landlord registers
- Register each let property, including licensed HMOs
Find your region’s landlord register deadline
Frequently asked questions
My agent fully manages the property. Do I still have to register?
Yes. The landlord registers. Your agent can supply some of the information, but the registration is yours.
We own the property jointly. Do we both register?
Yes. Each joint landlord has their own landlord entry, linked to one entry for the property.
I have an HMO licence. Do I still need to register?
Yes. The landlord register is separate from HMO and selective licensing.
Do I register a property that's empty?
Not yet. For now you register properties that are let, or when they become let.
Official guidance
- GOV.UK Housing Hub: Get ready to register
- GOV.UK: Guide to the Renters' Rights Act
- NRLA: Landlord database, 'Register your rental property'
This guide is general information for landlords in England and isn’t legal advice. Rules differ in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and can change. Always check the official guidance or take professional advice for your situation.
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