Landlords of Welsh properties have less than two weeks to sign up to the new registration and licensing system in Wales – Rent Smart Wales - which went live last year.
The new scheme becomes a mandatory requirement after the 23rd November deadline and is designed to drive up the quality of privately rented accommodation in Wales.
Landlords and letting agents whose property is rented on an assured, assured shorthold or regulated tenancy are required to register their property / properties. They are also required to undergo training in order to get a licence to self-manage the property / properties.
The licence costs £33.50 if completed online and £80.50 if done on a paper application form, no matter how many rental properties in Wales are included in the registration.
Landlords who are not involved in setting up tenancies and managing their rental properties do not need a licence. They must, however, use a licensed agent and register as a landlord declaring their agent on the registration.
There are various training options, such as a one-day landlords classroom course, as well as online versions. There is different training available for landlords and agents. If a person is both a landlord and an agent who requires a licence, they can complete agent training and this will be sufficient for their landlord licence as well.
You can read more about the Rent Smart Wales scheme on the Wales Government website here.
