The New Landlord Database: What Poole and Bournemouth Landlords Need to Know

Oct 5, 2026

Landlords reviewing a letting agreement with an Athertons agent

The new landlord database opens in December, with South West landlords due to register in summer 2027. Here’s what Poole, Bournemouth and Verwood landlords need to know now.

Five months on from the first big changes under the Renters’ Rights Act, most landlords we speak to have got to grips with periodic tenancies and the end of Section 21. The next stage is now on the horizon: a national register of landlords and rental homes, which opens for its first region on 15 December 2026. Here’s what it means for you if you let property in Poole, Bournemouth or Verwood, and what’s worth doing before your turn comes.

A quick recap: what changed on 1 May 2026

Phase one of the Act brought in the changes most landlords have heard about. Section 21 “no-fault” notices ended, and new tenancies are now assured periodic tenancies rather than fixed terms. Rent can only be increased once a year, using a Section 13 notice with at least two months’ warning, and tenants can challenge an increase above market rent at the First-tier Tribunal. Rental bidding is banned, upfront rent is capped at one month, landlords can’t turn tenants away simply because they have children or receive benefits, and pet requests can’t be unreasonably refused.

If you’d like to check that your tenancies are in order, our Renters’ Rights Act checklist walks through each point.

What is the landlord database?

The Private Rented Sector Database is a new online register that every private landlord in England with an assured or regulated tenancy will have to join. You’ll register yourself and each property you let, including details such as the address, number of bedrooms, the rent you charge, and your gas safety, electrical safety and energy performance certificates.

The fee has been reported as £65 a year per property, and each entry must be renewed annually. Letting agents will be able to upload some of the information on a landlord’s behalf, but the landlord still needs to start the registration.

When do landlords in Poole and Bournemouth need to register?

The database is being rolled out one region at a time, starting with the West Midlands on 15 December 2026. Each region then gets a three-month window to register. The South West is last in line: registration opens on 15 August 2027, and the window closes on 14 November 2027. That covers all of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, as well as Verwood and the rest of Dorset.

That gives local landlords time, but it isn’t a reason to leave it. Once the database is live in your region, a rental home with an inactive entry can’t legally be advertised or let.

What happens if you don’t register?

The penalties are significant. Under the Act, councils can issue civil penalties of up to £7,000 for a first breach, and up to £40,000 (or bring a prosecution) for serious or repeated breaches. Just as importantly, an unregistered landlord can’t get a possession order through the courts, except on anti-social behaviour grounds. If you ever need to regain your property, being on the register will matter.

What else is coming?

There are a few more changes to keep an eye on:

  • A landlord ombudsman. All private landlords will have to join a new ombudsman scheme, which can settle tenant complaints and order apologies, repairs or compensation. Mandatory membership isn’t expected until 2028.
  • Energy efficiency by 2030. In January 2026 the government confirmed that privately rented homes must meet the new minimum standard by 1 October 2030, with spending capped at £10,000 per property. Homes that reach EPC C on the current rating before 1 October 2029 will stay compliant until that certificate expires, so there’s a real advantage to acting early.
  • The Autumn Budget on 28 October. Landlord groups including the NRLA are lobbying on capital gains tax and energy efficiency support. We’ll share anything that affects local landlords once the details are out.

What’s happening to rents locally?

According to the ONS, the average private rent in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole was £1,398 a month in August 2026, up 2.8% on a year earlier. That’s slower than the 4.4% rise across the wider South West, so local rents are still growing but at a steadier pace than in recent years. With rent increases now limited to once a year, it’s more important than ever to set the right rent at the start of a tenancy. You can see what that means for your returns on our rental yield guide.

Five things to do before August 2027

  • Gather your certificates. Make sure your gas safety record, EICR and EPC are current for every property, as you’ll need them to register.
  • Check your EPC. If a property is rated D or below, get advice now on what it would take to reach C before the 2029 cut-off.
  • Review your paperwork. Confirm every tenant has had the correct information about their tenancy under the new rules.
  • Budget for the fee. Allow for the annual registration fee per property in your figures.
  • Decide who will manage it. If we manage your property, talk to us about how we can help with the information the database needs.

Talk to a local letting agent

Whether you let a flat in Winton, a family home in Oakdale or Parkstone, or a property in Verwood, we’re happy to talk through what these changes mean for you. You’ll find answers to common questions on our FAQs page.

For a free, no-obligation rental or sales valuation, call our Oakdale office on 01202 681113, our Winton office on 01202 512348, or Sam Garlick in Verwood on 07359 667183. Or get in touch online and we’ll come back to you.

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