What data protection rules do landlords need to comply with?

Unless you’re the most hands-off landlord, you’ll need to register with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) each year. The ICO is the independent body responsible for making sure that organisations comply with UK data privacy law.

You’ll also need to process data in a way that complies with the GDPR’s seven principles:

• Lawfulness, fairness and transparency

• Purpose limitation

• Data minimisation

• Accuracy

• Storage limitation

• Integrity and confidentiality

• Accountability

We explain which landlords need to register with the ICO, how to go about it, how much it costs.

Do landlords need to register with the ICO?

Yes, most landlords do need to register with the ICO.

The ICO has stated that landlords must register with them if they are doing any of the following activities:

• Process personal data for the purpose of producing tenancy agreements/contracts

• Perform credit checks via a credit reference agency on prospective tenants

• Obtain references

• Keep a database of potential tenants

• Make decisions as to which tenant can rent a property

• Receive electronic copies of tenancy agreements

Landlords are exempt from registering if they use letting agents who fully manage the letting of the properties.
This means that landlords only receive details of the monthly statement and rent, i.e. the accounts and records exemption.

This exemption includes only the most “hands off” landlords, who don’t even receive copies of the tenancy agreements.
This means that almost all landlords should register with the ICO.

Who registers with the ICO if the landlord is a limited company?

If the landlord is a limited company, that is the entity that needs to register with the ICO.

Where a landlord owns some properties through a limited company and some in their own name, they should have a registration in both their own name and that of the limited company.
This is because a limited company is a separate legal entity from its shareholders and directors.

How can landlords register with the ICO?

It’s very easy for landlords to register with the ICO www.ico.org.uk.
It’s an online process that takes approximately 5 minutes.
The ICO will email you with a request for payment after you’ve applied to register.

How much is the fee for landlords to register with the ICO?

The 2025 fee for landlords to register with the ICO is £52.00, assuming qualification as a micro-organisation with a turnover of less than £632,000 and fewer than ten staff.

The ICO offers a £5 automatic discount if payment is by direct debit, reducing the annual cost to £47.00.

Template Data Protection Notice for tenants

As well as registering with the ICO, landlords need to make sure they comply with data protection law, which includes having a data protection notice and processing data in accordance with the notice.

Please do not hesitate to contact Personal Economy Lettings if you need any assistance.