Landlord Services
Letting a property in Wales comes with strict legal duties - Rent Smart Wales, HMO licences, Cardiff's Article 4 Direction and the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016. Here's what applies to you, and how to get and stay compliant.
The basics
Renting out property in Wales is governed by Welsh law, not the English system. Under the Housing (Wales) Act 2014 every landlord must register their properties with Rent Smart Wales, and anyone doing the letting or management work must be licensed. On top of that sit HMO licensing, Cardiff's Article 4 planning rules and the standards in the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016. Getting it wrong is a criminal matter.
Audit your property
Work down the list. If you can honestly tick every box that applies to your property, you're in good shape. Any you can't is a gap worth closing - fast.
Every landlord must register each rental property they own in Wales - registration is the landlord declaring the properties they let.
Anyone carrying out letting or management tasks must hold a Rent Smart Wales licence (which requires training). If you don't self-manage, appoint a licensed agent instead.
A property let to 5 or more people forming two or more households and sharing facilities needs a mandatory HMO licence from the local council.
Some councils run additional licensing schemes covering smaller HMOs - confirm whether your council's scheme applies to your property.
Cardiff has a city-wide Article 4 Direction, so planning permission is needed to create a new small HMO.
An Electrical Installation Condition Report is required at least every five years under the Fitness for Human Habitation standard.
Where gas is present, an annual gas safety check must be carried out and the record kept.
Mains-wired interlinked smoke alarms on every storey, plus carbon monoxide alarms by fuel-burning appliances.
Any deposit taken must be protected in line with the rules so it can be returned correctly at the end of the contract.
Each contract-holder must receive a written statement of their occupation contract within 14 days of the occupation date.
This is a guide, not a substitute for advice - the exact duties depend on your property and council. Unsure on any line? We'll check it with you.
A common mix-up
They sound similar but they're different duties - and most landlords need both. One is about the property, the other is about the work being done.
Registration is about the property. As a landlord you must register each rental property you own with Rent Smart Wales - declaring what you let and who you are.
A licence is about the work. Anyone carrying out letting or management tasks must be licensed - and that requires completing approved training first.
Shared houses
If you let to sharers, an extra layer applies - and in Cardiff there's a planning hurdle too.
A property let to 5 or more people forming two or more households and sharing facilities needs a mandatory HMO licence from the local council.
Some councils also run additional licensing schemes that bring smaller HMOs into the licensing net - so check your council's local position.
Cardiff has a city-wide Article 4 Direction, which means planning permission is needed to create a new small HMO.
Since 1 December 2022
This is the framework your lettings now sit within - new language, new documents and clear safety standards.
Since 1 December 2022, tenancies and licences became occupation contracts between landlord and contract-holder under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016.
Each contract-holder must be given a written statement of their occupation contract within 14 days of the occupation date.
The property must meet the Fitness for Human Habitation standard for the whole of the contract.
Mains-wired interlinked smoke alarms are required on every storey of the property.
Carbon monoxide alarms must be fitted in rooms with a fuel-burning appliance.
An EICR is required at least every five years, and an annual gas safety check where gas is present.
Why it matters
Operating without the required registration or licence is a criminal offence in Wales. The consequences are real - and they can hit your income directly.
Letting or managing without the required registration or licence can lead to fixed penalty notices or prosecution through the courts.
Authorities can apply for rent stopping orders, and you can be ordered to repay rent you've already collected.
While non-compliant, a landlord cannot serve a Section 173 (no-fault) notice on a contract-holder - leaving you unable to end an occupation contract that way.
Using an agent
If you appoint someone to let or manage your property, they carry duties too - and the right agent can cover much of your own compliance.
Licensing in Wales is strict and the penalties are real. Tell us about your property and we'll help you get and stay compliant.
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