The checklist
| Requirement | How often | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Rent Smart Wales registration | Before letting; renew every 5 years | Every landlord with a property in Wales |
| Rent Smart Wales licence | Every 5 years | If you let or manage it yourself; needs approved training. Otherwise use a licensed agent |
| Written statement of the occupation contract | Within 14 days of occupation | Use the Welsh Government model terms |
| Landlord's address for notices (form RHW2) | Within 14 days of occupation | So the contract-holder can serve notices on you |
| Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) | At least every 5 years | Copy to contract-holder within 14 days of occupation |
| Smoke alarms | From day one | Mains-powered and interlinked, one on every storey |
| Carbon monoxide alarms | From day one | Any room with a gas, oil or solid fuel appliance |
| Gas safety check | Every 12 months | Gas Safe engineer; copy to contract-holder |
| Energy Performance Certificate | Valid 10 years | Minimum rating E for most lets |
| Deposit protection | Within 30 days | Approved scheme plus prescribed information |
| Holding deposit | Before the contract | Maximum one week's rent; most other fees are banned |
| HMO licence | As your council requires | Mandatory and additional licensing |
Rent Smart Wales
Every landlord of a rented home in Wales must register with Rent Smart Wales. If you do letting or management work yourself, such as finding tenants, collecting rent or arranging repairs, you also need a licence, which requires approved training. If you use an agent, the agent must be licensed instead. Registrations and licences last five years, and many landlords who registered in 2021 are due to renew in 2026. Fines and fixed penalties apply if you're not compliant.
Occupation contracts and written statements
Tenants are now "contract-holders" and tenancies are "occupation contracts", usually standard occupation contracts. You must give a written statement within 14 days of the occupation date. If it's late, the contract-holder can claim compensation of a day's rent for each day, up to two months' rent. Existing contracts had to include updated terms by 14 June 2026.
Fitness for human habitation
The home must be fit for human habitation at the start and throughout the contract. As well as alarms and electrical safety, that means dealing with the 29 hazards in the Welsh Government's regulations, such as damp and mould, excess cold and fire risks. You can't serve a possession notice while the home is unfit.
Notice and rent increases
A landlord's notice under section 173 ("no-fault") must give at least six months and can't be served in the first six months of occupation. Rent can usually be increased once every 12 months with at least two months' notice on the prescribed form.
Tax for Welsh landlords
Income tax on rental profit, mortgage interest relief and the SA105 return work as in England. Use our landlord tax calculator. For buying, Wales uses Land Transaction Tax, not Stamp Duty: see our LTT buy-to-let calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a Rent Smart Wales licence if I use a letting agent?
You must still register, but if a licensed agent does all the letting and management work, you don't need your own licence.
How long do I have to give a written statement in Wales?
14 days from the occupation date. If it's late, the contract-holder can claim a day's rent for each day, up to two months' rent.
Do smoke alarms have to be hard-wired in Wales?
Yes. Rented homes need mains-powered smoke alarms, interlinked, with at least one on every storey. Battery-only alarms don't meet the rule.
What is the notice period for a no-fault eviction in Wales?
At least six months, and the notice can't be given in the first six months of occupation.
Sources
- Welsh Government: Renting Homes checklist for landlords and tenants
- Rent Smart Wales
- Welsh Government: Land Transaction Tax rates and bands
Sources last checked 10 November 2026. See all our sources and how we keep pages up to date.