Landlord registration

All landlords renting to private tenants in Northern Ireland must register with the Landlord Registration Scheme.

You can be charged a penalty of £500 if you do not register.

Who needs to register as a landlord

You must register as a landlord if you are renting out a property to tenants.

This legal requirement applies even if:

• an estate agent manages the property for you
• you already have a house in multiple occupation (HMO) licence
• you are jointly named on the property deeds but do not manage the tenancy

How to register as a landlord

You need to pay a registration fee, provide personal details and information about your properties.

You can register:

• online (£70 fee)
• by calling 0300 200 7821 (£70 fee)
• by completing a paper form (£80 fee)

Landlords with a HMO licence do not need to pay a fee. If you jointly own a property, you only need to pay one fee.

Information you need to register

You must provide:

• your date of birth
• your phone number, address and email address
• a correspondence address in Northern Ireland (if you live outside Northern Ireland)
• contact details of any estate agent managing the property
• company registration number (if the landlord is a company)

For each rental property, you’ll need to provide the:

• rental property address
• date the property was built
• names and contact details of joint owners
• HMO licence number (if applicable)

Renew and update your landlord registration

If you buy or sell a rental property, you’ll need to update your registration details.

You must renew your registration every three years. You’ll get an email reminder four weeks before your registration is due to expire. Your registration expiry date is on your digital registration certificate.

Benefits of landlord registration

Registered landlords get:

• free advice from Landlord Advice
• free mediation through the Housing Mediation Service
• a regular landlord newsletter with updates on legal requirements

Anyone can search the landlord register to check if a landlord or a property is registered.

Offences and penalties

You are guilty of an offence and can be fined £500 if you:

• rent out a property without registering
• give false information when registering
• fail to provide proof of registration if asked to do so

If you do not pay this penalty, the council can take you to court. The penalty can increase to £2,500 if you are prosecuted.