Landlord requirements in Wales: Rent Smart Wales, contracts and safety

Wales shares some rules with England, such as the annual gas check and the three deposit schemes. But since the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 came into force on 1 December 2022, the tenancy system, the language and several safety rules are different. Tenants are now “contract-holders”, tenancies are “occupation contracts”, and every landlord must be registered with Rent Smart Wales.

For a side-by-side view of England, Scotland and Wales, see our landlord compliance checklist.

Rent Smart Wales: registration

All landlords with a privately rented home let on a domestic basis in Wales must register with Rent Smart Wales. This has been the law since 23 November 2015. You must register yourself as the owner: an agent can’t do it for you. Registration lasts 5 years, then must be renewed.

Rent Smart Wales: licence and training

Registration is not the same as a licence.

• If you do letting or management work yourself (finding tenants, collecting rent, arranging repairs, inspections and so on), you need a landlord licence. To get one you must complete approved Rent Smart Wales training.
• If you use an agent for all of that work, you don’t need a licence, but your agent must be licensed.

A licence lasts 5 years.

Training is charged separately, from about £60 online or £100 in a classroom. The table uses the April 2025 fee policy; check whether Rent Smart Wales has published a 2026/27 policy before you apply.

Penalties: Rent Smart Wales says failing to register can lead to a fixed penalty notice, prosecution and fines, and a restricted ability to recover possession of the property.

Occupation contracts and written statements

Under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 most private tenancies are standard occupation contracts. The key duty is the written statement:

• You must give the contract-holder a written statement of the contract within 14 days of the occupation date.
• It must contain all the terms of the contract. The Welsh Government publishes model written statements you can use.
• If you fail to provide it on time, you can be liable to pay the contract-holder compensation.

Contracts that existed before 1 December 2022 were converted automatically, and landlords had until 1 June 2023 to issue written statements for them.

Ending a contract

The no-fault landlord’s notice under section 173 must give at least 6 months’ notice. It can only be given after the first 6 months of occupation. You also can’t give a landlord’s notice, or use a break clause, if the home doesn’t meet the fitness for human habitation requirements below.

Other restrictions apply, for example where the deposit or written statement rules weren’t met; the Welsh Government’s renting homes FAQs for landlords list them.

Fitness for human habitation

The Renting Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) (Wales) Regulations 2022 set out what makes a home fit to live in. They cover 29 hazard matters, such as damp and mould, plus three specific duties: electrical safety, smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms. A home that fails these is treated as unfit for human habitation.

Electrical safety (EICR)

• An EICR at least every 5 years, or sooner if the report says so.
• Done by a qualified, competent person to BS 7671.
• Give the contract-holder a copy within 14 days of the occupation date, or within 14 days of a later inspection.
• Give them written confirmation of any remedial work within 14 days of receiving it.

The 14-day deadlines are shorter than England’s 28 days. Our EICR cost guide covers typical prices.

Smoke alarms

You need a working smoke alarm on every storey, and they must be mains-wired and interlinked. Battery-only alarms do not meet the rule in Wales, which is stricter than England.

Carbon monoxide alarms

A CO alarm is required in every room with a gas, oil or solid-fuel combustion appliance.

These rules have applied to new contracts since 1 December 2022 and to converted contracts since 1 December 2023.

Gas safety

The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 apply in Wales as in England. A Gas Safe registered engineer must check every gas appliance and flue you provide every 12 months. Give existing contract-holders a copy within 28 days of the check, and new ones before they move in. Keep records for at least 2 years. See our gas safety certificate cost guide.

EPC and energy efficiency

The minimum energy efficiency rules are shared with England:

• You need a valid EPC (valid for 10 years) to let the property.
• The home must be rated E or above, unless you have registered a valid exemption.
• Rent Smart Wales confirms the E standard will be replaced by a higher standard equivalent to EPC C by 1 October 2030. The regulations for this have not yet been made.

If your property is currently rated D or E, the EPC recommendations show which measures could lift it to C before 1 October 2030. Our EPC cost guide covers what a new certificate costs.

Legionella

Landlords in Wales must assess and control the legionella risk, as in the rest of Great Britain. Most landlords can do this themselves, and there is no legal requirement for a “legionella certificate”. See our legionella risk assessment guide.

Deposits

The England deposit cap of 5 or 6 weeks’ rent comes from the Tenant Fees Act 2019, which does not apply in Wales. More detail is in our tenancy deposit protection guide.

HMO licensing

Wales still uses the older test for mandatory HMO licensing: a house with 3 or more storeys occupied by 5 or more people forming 2 or more households. Storeys include habitable basements and attics, and a commercial ground floor counts.

Councils can also extend licensing to smaller HMOs, and many Welsh councils run additional licensing schemes. HMO licensing is separate from Rent Smart Wales, so an HMO landlord may need both. Fees and conditions are set by each council. Our HMO licence guide explains the process.

What doesn’t apply in Wales

• Right to Rent checks apply in England only.
• The PRS Database and the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 changes apply in England only.
• Tenancy agreements are replaced by occupation contracts and written statements.

Quick checklist for Welsh landlords

1. Register with Rent Smart Wales (every 5 years).
2. Get a landlord licence and complete training if you self-manage; otherwise use a licensed agent.
3. Written statement within 14 days of the occupation date.
4. EICR every 5 years, copy within 14 days.
5. Mains-wired, interlinked smoke alarms on every storey; CO alarms where needed.
6. Annual gas safety check.
7. EPC rated E or above.
8. Legionella risk assessment.
9. Deposit protected and information given within 30 days.
10. HMO licence, if the property needs one.

Our free certificate reminders email you before each gas check, EICR and EPC is due.