My landlord isn't registered: what can I do?
Updated . Checked against official sources.
Every private landlord in England has to register each home they let by their region's deadline, between 14 March 2027 and 14 November 2027. If yours hasn't, it's your landlord who's broken the rules, not you. Your tenancy carries on, and you have options.
Subject to Parliament: the register's regulations were laid before Parliament on 9 September 2026 and still need approval. The dates and the £65 fee come from the government's announcements and could change. The draft regulations.
- Can I stay?
- Yes. Your tenancy carries on, and an unregistered landlord generally can't get a court order to make you leave.
- Do I still pay rent?
- Yes. Keep paying as normal: stopping could put you in arrears.
- Who do I tell?
- Your local council. It enforces the register and can fine your landlord up to £7,000.
- Can I get rent back?
- Not for this alone yet, but other offences, like letting an unlicensed home, already qualify.
What to do, step by step
- Check your area's deadline. It depends on where your home is. Before the deadline, your landlord not being registered yet is allowed. Check your postcode.
- Ask your landlord. Every registered home has a registration number. Ask for it in writing, by email or text, so you have a record.
- Tell your council if the deadline has passed and they haven't registered. Find your council below, or in the list of every council; its page links to how it enforces the rules.
- Keep paying your rent and keep copies of your tenancy agreement, payments and messages.
- Check whether your home needed a licence. If it did and doesn't have one, you may already be able to claim rent back. Rent repayment orders.
When did your landlord have to register?
| Region | Must be registered by |
|---|---|
| West Midlands | 14 Mar 2027 |
| East of England | 14 Apr 2027 |
| East Midlands | 14 May 2027 |
| South East | 14 Jun 2027 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 14 Jul 2027 |
| North West | 14 Aug 2027 |
| North East | 14 Sep 2027 |
| London | 14 Oct 2027 |
| South West | 14 Nov 2027 |
Can an unregistered landlord evict me?
Generally not through the courts. Once the deadline for your area has passed, a landlord who isn't registered can't get a possession order, with limited exceptions such as anti-social behaviour. Section 21 "no fault" notices ended on 1 May 2026, so any landlord needs a legal reason and a court order to make you leave. How much notice a landlord has to give.
What happens to my landlord?
Your council can fine them up to £7,000 for letting without registering, and up to £40,000 for giving false information or carrying on after a penalty. A further breach within 5 years can be a criminal offence. Each council sets out how it decides fines in its own policy, which is linked from its page here.
The Renters' Rights Act also makes not registering grounds for a rent repayment order of up to 24 months' rent, but that part isn't in force yet. We'll update this page when it is.
Get told when you can check your landlord
The government has said renters will be able to check whether a landlord is registered. We'll email you when that's possible, and if the rules on what you can see change. Nothing else.
Questions renters ask
Can I stop paying rent if my landlord isn't registered?
No. Keep paying as normal. Not being registered is your landlord's breach, and stopping your rent could put you in arrears.
Can my landlord evict me if they're not registered?
Generally not through the courts once your area's deadline has passed. An unregistered landlord can't get a possession order, with limited exceptions such as anti-social behaviour.
How do I report a landlord who isn't registered?
Contact your local council's private housing team. Councils enforce the register and can fine a landlord up to £7,000.
Can I get my rent back if my landlord isn't registered?
Not for this alone yet. The Act adds it to the offences that qualify for a rent repayment order, but that part isn't in force. Other offences, like letting an unlicensed home, already qualify.
When does my landlord have to be registered?
By the deadline for the region your home is in, between 14 March 2027 and 14 November 2027.