Councils must make landlord licensing registers available for public inspection and supply certified copies on request for a fee, housing minister Matthew Pennycook has confirmed, but they are not required to put the registers online.
The clarification came in a written parliamentary answer to Labour MP Feryal Clark, who asked ministers to review the rules so statutory registers are readily accessible to the public in digital form. Pennycook said the duty sits under the Housing Act 2004 and councils should keep any charges reasonable and proportionate.
Publication remains a local choice with data protection limits, a line that lands while landlords wait for the national private rented sector database to open registration in stages from 15 December in the West Midlands.
What councils must do now
Matthew Pennycook, housing minister, said: “Under the Housing Act 2004, local authorities are required to make their licensing registers available for inspection to the public. They must also provide a certified copy of their registers (or individual entry or entries from it) to anyone who requests it, subject to the payment of a fee.”
He added: “We encourage local authorities to consider accessibility requirements in meeting these duties and to ensure that any fees charged for this are reasonable and proportionate.”
On online publication, Pennycook said: “There is no requirement for local authorities to publish their licensing registers. Where they choose to do so, they should consider any interactions with data protection legislation in respect of personal data contained within those registers.”
Tenants, neighbours and landlords affected
In practice, a tenant, neighbour or agent can still ask to see the register at the council and request a certified entry, but they cannot insist it appears as a searchable web page. Councils that do publish must redact or manage personal data in line with data law.
Propertymark calls to end local licensing once the PRS database launches argue the current patchwork of selective and additional schemes duplicates cost and paperwork. Ministers say licensing rules stay under review, which keeps that tension live.
Landlords should check the exact position where they let, because designation boundaries, conditions and fees vary by authority. The duties described sit in the Housing Act 2004 on legislation.gov.uk.
Privacy pressure builds before PRS database
The answer arrives amid sharp debate over what the coming PRS database will show and to whom. Ministers have said landlord and property details, including addresses, occupancy and safety documents, will be handled under data law, with more detail due before rollout.
NRLA analysis putting the landlord database bill at £327 million a year shows why access rules matter to owners, with cost and privacy now the two tests ministers face most often from the sector.
This follows Landlord Knowledge’s October report on Propertymark urging an end to local licensing after the PRS launch, which argued a single national register should replace council schemes. The Pennycook answer confirms councils keep their inspection duties for now, so landlords face both systems during the changeover.
What this means for landlords
- If you let in a licensing area: assume your licence entry can be inspected and copied – check names, addresses and manager details are accurate.
- If a tenant or neighbour asks: direct them to the council register route rather than sharing documents yourself, and keep your licence number on file.
- Watch fees and publication: challenge disproportionate copy fees and check whether your council publishes entries online and what personal data it shows.
- Prep for the PRS database: align licensing documents, gas, electrical and EPC records now, as the same pack will be needed for national registration.
- Bottom line: licensing data is public for inspection but not automatically online – get the entry right before someone else reads it.
Editor’s view
Ministers want openness without a clear online standard, which leaves landlords exposed to inconsistent local practice. Councils should publish what the law allows and strip out what it does not, and landlords should audit their entries this week.
Author: Editorial Team – UK landlord & buy-to-let news, policy, and finance
Published: 23 October 2026
Sources: Parliament, Housing Act 2004, Propertymark, NRLA
Related reading: Propertymark urges end to local licensing after PRS launch
