Landlords in Wales who manage their own properties are being reminded that they must submit their licence application to Rent Smart Wales to avoid prosecution.

The prompt comes following a spate of prosecutions of landlords who failed to apply a licence. 

“Self-managing landlords in Wales must realise that registering with Rent Smart Wales is not enough to comply with the law. They are also required to pass training and submit a licence application” explains Lynda Thorne, the cabinet member for Housing and Communities at Cardiff Council, the licensing authority for Rent Smart Wales. 

“Anyone who carries out letting or property management duties needs a licence. Enforcement powers have been active for some time now and we are tracking down and prosecuting individuals who aren’t licensed” she continues.

“Training can help people to become better landlords and of course by becoming licensed, landlords will be complying with the law and will avoid prosecution. So it’s important for landlords to complete the registration and licensing process as soon as they can.”

She concludes by saying: “A conviction for a self-managing landlord has serious consequences as a condition of obtaining a licence is that someone is fit and proper to carry out letting and management activities. All those who continue to operate without a licence are putting their future business at risk.”