The landlord database and ombudsman: the Act's new machinery
Beyond abolishing Section 21, the Renters' Rights Act builds infrastructure: a national private rented sector database and a mandatory landlord ombudsman. Both are being phased in, and both change how landlording is policed.
The PRS database
Landlords will be required to register themselves and their properties on a national database before marketing and letting. The database gives tenants and councils a single view of who owns what and whether they comply, and marketing or letting an unregistered property attracts penalties and undermines possession claims. When registration opens for your area, treat it like protecting a deposit: an unmissable legal step, not admin to defer.
The landlord ombudsman
Every private landlord will be required to join a government-approved redress scheme. Tenants complain free of charge; the ombudsman investigates and can order apologies, remedial action and compensation, with binding effect. The practical consequence: complaint handling becomes a documented discipline. A written repairs log, prompt acknowledgements and evidenced decisions are what turn an ombudsman complaint into a non-event.
What to do now
Keep the compliance file current, respond to complaints in writing, and watch for commencement dates: both schemes arrive with lead time and penalties for stragglers. The wider duties they plug into are in the complete Act guide and the compliance checklist.
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Start my agreement →Frequently asked questions
Do all landlords have to register on the PRS database?
Yes, once commenced: registration of landlord and property will be a condition of lawful marketing and letting, enforced by penalties and restrictions on possession.
Is the landlord ombudsman compulsory?
Yes. Membership of the approved redress scheme will be mandatory for private landlords, with tenants able to bring complaints free and decisions binding.