The government has revealed that it is looking into measures that will add landlords’ eviction activity to the looming PRS database.

During the latest House of Lords debate on the Renters’ Rights Bill, Housing Minister Baroness Taylor of Stevenage said it was “actively exploring collecting possession information on the database” after an amendment - later withdrawn – suggested that it should contain entries about Section 8 possession notices, within seven days of the landlord serving them.

“We have identified various potential benefits to collecting this data - for example, it may support local authorities in identifying where possession grounds have been misused or where tenants are at risk of homelessness,” she told peers.

“It could also be useful to prospective tenants in making choices about where to rent. However, our research has also highlighted some challenges, particularly around accuracy and reliance on landlords self-reporting. We will need to consider carefully how these issues could be managed.”

Under current proposals, all landlords of assured and regulated tenancies would be legally required to register themselves and their properties on the database. The government has previously explained that it is still determining what to make available to the public but that this would include information related to property standards.

Crucial

Sean Hooker, head of redress and ombudsman office at Property Redress (pictured), says it supports practical measures to increase transparency and compliance with the new regulations.

“The database has the potential to be at the forefront of providing a powerful tool to help with this,” he tells LandlordZONE. “How this will work will be crucial to its success.”

Hooker said questions would need to be asked such as where the data will come from, and who would have access to it, such as local authorities, enforcement agencies and redress schemes. “Will arrears and antisocial behaviour grounds be included? If so, safeguards and clear explanation of what this information can be used for will be needed.

“Oversight and regulation of the database will be crucial if this is to achieve the ambitions the government have for it, and we are more than happy to help them get it right.”