Landlord database registration in the East of England: deadline 14 April 2027

Written by GenZAgents, reviewed 28 October 2026. Sources below.

If your rental is in the East of England, you must register it on the government's Register your rental property service (the landlord database, or PRS Database) by 14 April 2027. The requirement for the East of England starts on 15 January 2027; the service opens to every landlord in England on 15 December 2026, so you can register earlier. The region goes by the property's address, not yours. The East of England covers Norwich, Cambridge, Peterborough, Ipswich, Luton, Chelmsford, Colchester, Southend-on-Sea and Watford.

Councils in the East of England and their licensing schemes

The East of England has 45 local councils that act as the local housing authority (ONS, May 2026). The registration service asks whether each property needs an HMO, additional or selective licence, and for the licence numbers (draft Schedule 3, paragraph 10), so check your council first. Mandatory HMO licensing applies everywhere; these schemes are on top.

On 28 October 2026 we found 4 councils in the East of England with selective licensing and 4 with additional HMO licensing, in force or designated to start.

Bedford

Additional HMO licensing (in force): Whole borough, until 20 May 2028. Council page

Luton

Selective licensing (in force): Parts: Town Centre and Park Town areas. The council says its licence application system is currently unavailable and enforcement will not start yet. Council page
Additional HMO licensing (in force): Whole borough. The council says its licence application system is currently unavailable and enforcement will not start yet. Council page

Peterborough

Selective licensing (in force): Parts: designated areas within Bretton, Central, East, Fletton and Stanground, Fletton and Woodston, North, Orton Waterville, Park, Paston and Walton, Stanground South wards, until 10 March 2029. Council page
Additional HMO licensing (in force): Whole city, until 25 January 2031. Council page

Southend-on-Sea

Selective licensing (in force): Parts: designated neighbourhoods within Milton, Kursaal, Victoria and Chalkwell wards, until 30 November 2026. Council page

Thurrock

Selective licensing (in force): Parts: 16 of 20 wards (all except Little Thurrock Blackshots, Orsett, Stifford Clays, The Homesteads), until 4 January 2031. Council page
Additional HMO licensing (in force): Whole borough. Council page

No selective or additional scheme found on the council's own website: Babergh, Basildon, Braintree, Breckland, Brentwood, Broadland, Broxbourne, Cambridge, Castle Point, Central Bedfordshire, Chelmsford, Colchester, Dacorum, East Cambridgeshire, East Hertfordshire, East Suffolk, Epping Forest, Fenland, Harlow, Hertsmere, Huntingdonshire, Ipswich, King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Maldon, Mid Suffolk, North Hertfordshire, North Norfolk, Norwich, Rochford, South Cambridgeshire, South Norfolk, St Albans, Stevenage, Tendring, Three Rivers, Uttlesford, Watford, Welwyn Hatfield and West Suffolk. That is not a guarantee: a council can start a scheme at any time, so check before you let.

Not verified: we could not confirm the schemes for Great Yarmouth from the council's own website, so we list nothing for them here. Check with the council.

Before 14 April 2027

£65 a property a year (fee). Upload the gas safety record, EICR and EPC (full list) within 28 days or the entry becomes inactive (draft reg 11(2)(a)); renew anything that lapses before 14 April 2027 first. Up to £7,000 if you miss it (penalties).

Questions

When do landlords in the East of England have to register?

The requirement starts on 15 January 2027 and the deadline is 14 April 2027. The service opens to every landlord in England on 15 December 2026, so you can register earlier.

Which councils in the East of England have selective licensing?

As of 28 October 2026: Luton, Peterborough, Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock. Most schemes cover only some wards, so check the council's map for your street.

Which councils in the East of England have additional HMO licensing?

As of 28 October 2026: Bedford, Luton, Peterborough and Thurrock.

Related guides

Other regions · What you need · Gas · EICR · EPC

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Sources

Dates: official guidance and the draft regulations, which Parliament has not yet approved (status). Fee: official guidance. Councils and schemes: read on each council's own website on 28 October 2026. Not legal advice. Last checked 28 October 2026.