Editor's note: This brief was summarised by The Property AI Team from a report by Property118. Read the original article for full details.
Government Defends £65 Annual PRS Database Fee
The government has admitted that the £65 annual PRS Database fee is higher than the original estimate, but insists the charge remains "fair and sustainable" for landlords. The fee is charged per property on an annual basis.
Responding to a written parliamentary question, Labour peer Baroness Taylor of Stevenage said the £65 annual registration fee, charged per property, would help fund council enforcement activity.
What This Means for Letting Agents
The confirmation that the fee is charged per property — rather than per landlord or per portfolio — matters for letting agents and inventory clerks who manage multiple properties on behalf of landlord clients. The government's position is that the charge is justified on the basis that it supports council enforcement activity.
The admission that the fee exceeds the original estimate is likely to be of interest to agents whose landlord clients are budgeting for compliance costs under the new PRS Database regime.
Fee Confirmed as Fair and Sustainable
Baroness Taylor of Stevenage's response to the parliamentary question set out the government's view that the £65 annual registration fee remains "fair and sustainable" for landlords, while acknowledging that it is higher than first estimated.
The government's stated rationale is that the fee will help fund council enforcement activity. No further detail on the breakdown of costs or the original estimate figure was included in the source report.
Source: Property118