Rent Smart Wales
Rent Smart Wales (RSW) is the national registration and licensing scheme for private landlords and letting agents in Wales, established under the Housing (Wales) Act 2014. It is administered by Cardiff Council on behalf of the Welsh Government and acts as the single licensing authority for the entire country. Since 23 November 2015, all landlords with privately rented residential property in Wales have been legally required to register with Rent Smart Wales. This is a national mandatory obligation, it is not the same as selective licensing, which is a discretionary scheme applied by individual local housing authorities in England to specific areas. Every private landlord in Wales must comply, regardless of where in Wales the property is located.
The current tenancy framework in Wales is set out in the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016, which came into force on 1 December 2022. Under that Act, tenants are called contract-holders and tenancy agreements are called occupation contracts. Rent Smart Wales registration and licensing obligations apply to occupation contracts on domestic residential tenancies.
Registration: who must register and what it costs
Every landlord who owns privately rented residential property in Wales must register with Rent Smart Wales. The registration covers the landlord personally and lists all their Welsh rental properties. It is not a per-property fee, one registration covers all properties owned by the same landlord, subject to the ownership structure. Joint owners must decide whether to register individually or as a single joint registration; different ownership arrangements require separate registrations.
Current registration fees (as of April 2025, from the Rent Smart Wales fee policy):
New or revoked registration: £60 online, £102 by paper. Renewal (within 84 days of expiry): £48 online, £87 by paper. A registration is valid for five years. If it lapses before renewal, a full new registration fee applies.
An agent cannot complete a landlord registration on the landlord's behalf except in cases of Power of Attorney or executor arrangements. Landlords must register themselves.
Licensing: who needs a licence and what it costs
Registration and licensing are separate obligations. Whether a landlord also needs a licence depends on what activities they personally carry out.
Landlords who do not self-manage - those who appoint a licensed letting agent to conduct all letting and management activities, must register but do not need a personal licence. They must however ensure their appointed agent holds a current Rent Smart Wales licence.
Landlords who self-manage - those who personally conduct letting activities (arranging viewings, preparing occupation contracts, selecting tenants) or management activities (collecting rent, arranging repairs, handling complaints), must also obtain a landlord licence.
Licence fees for self-managing landlords (April 2025): new or revoked licence £327 online (£254 if online), renewal 42 days or more before expiry £302 (£230 online). A licence is valid for five years.
Letting and management agents acting on behalf of other landlords must hold an agent licence, which carries a higher fee reflecting the broader scope of regulated activity.
Training requirement
Before a licence application can be submitted, the applicant must complete approved Rent Smart Wales training. This cannot be waived. Training covers the landlord's legal obligations under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016, including occupation contract requirements, fitness for human habitation, notice periods, and possession grounds.
For first-time applicants, the full Landlord Licence Training course must be completed within the 12 months prior to application. On renewal, options include repeating the full training, completing a shorter re-licensing course (online only), or accumulating 60 Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points over the five-year licence period. Agents must achieve 80 CPD points.
Training is available online, by classroom, or virtually. Some courses are available through Rent Smart Wales directly; others can be completed via external approved providers.
Fit and proper person test
A licence will only be granted if the applicant satisfies a fit and proper person test. Rent Smart Wales will consider any history of housing-related offences, fraud, violence, discrimination, or breaches of the Code of Practice. A licence may be refused or revoked if a landlord or agent ceases to be fit and proper at any point during the five-year term.
Compliance with the statutory Code of Practice, covering proper documentation, property inspections, repairs, deposit handling, and tenant communication, is a condition attached to every licence. August's compliance checklist covers the core safety obligations including gas safety certificates, EICRs, smoke alarms, and fitness for human habitation duties, that form part of the Code of Practice requirements.
Consequences of non-compliance
Failing to register or carrying out letting or management activities without a licence is a criminal offence under the Housing (Wales) Act 2014, punishable by an unlimited fine on conviction or a fixed penalty notice in lieu of prosecution. Beyond the criminal sanction, an unregistered or unlicensed landlord also faces:
A rent stopping order, which stops rent being legally payable for the period of non-compliance, treating it as if already paid, with no right to recover it as arrears. A rent repayment order, requiring repayment of rent received during a period of unlicensed activity. A restriction on serving possession notices under Section 44 of the Housing (Wales) Act 2014, preventing the use of the standard no-fault possession route until registration and licensing is restored.
The person alleged to be in breach does not need to be charged or convicted before a rent stopping order application can proceed.
The public register
Rent Smart Wales maintains a public register that anyone can search. Contract-holders can check whether their landlord and agent are registered and licensed before or during a tenancy. The register is available at rentsmart.gov.wales/en/check-register.
Exemptions
Registration is not required for: owner-occupiers with lodgers who share amenities with the homeowner; agricultural tenancies; commercial lets; university-owned accommodation licensed to students; holiday lets; properties owned by Residential Social Landlords regulated by the Welsh Government; and certain non-permanent structures.
For context on how landlord licensing schemes are developing across Wales and England in 2026, see our guide to landlord licensing in 2026.
While the Renters' Rights Act primarily reshapes private renting in England, Welsh landlords must view Rent Smart Wales, the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016, and UK-wide safety and standards reforms together as the core framework for running a lawful, professional rental business in Wales.
Frequently asked questions
Is Rent Smart Wales a legal requirement?
Yes. Since 23 November 2015, all landlords with privately rented residential property in Wales have been legally required to register with Rent Smart Wales under the Housing (Wales) Act 2014. Self-managing landlords must also obtain a licence. Failure to comply is a criminal offence carrying an unlimited fine. Non-compliant landlords also lose the right to receive rent for the period of non-compliance and may be restricted from serving possession notices.
How much does Rent Smart Wales registration cost?
Registration costs £60 online or £102 by paper for a new registration. Renewal within 84 days of expiry costs £48 online or £87 by paper. A self-managing landlord who also needs a licence pays a separate licence fee of £254 online (new licence) or £230 online (early renewal). Fees were last revised in April 2025 and can be confirmed at rentsmart.gov.wales.
Do I need a licence or just registration?
Every landlord must register. You also need a licence if you personally carry out any letting activities (viewings, setting up occupation contracts, tenant selection) or management activities (collecting rent, arranging repairs, handling complaints) at your Welsh rental properties. Landlords who appoint a licensed agent to do all of this need only register, not licence, themselves, though they must declare their agent on the registration.
