What better way to kick off our blog than by looking at a scheme affecting landlords in the country Reoli was born - Wales. Rent Smart Wales was brought in during 2015 as part of the Housing (Wales) Act 2014, specifically Part 1.
The process involves landlords and agents registering with the scheme and complying with the new law (although 1 year grace was given). So starting from 23rd November 2015, it became a legal requirement for any landlord operating in Wales to be registered or they would face penalties.
The licence itself is valid for 5 years, but any changes must be notified to Rent Smart Wales themselves.
The registration process
There are a few things to be aware of when registering as a landlord. First of all, you can register either online or by post. Like most Government services, it’s cheaper to register online and is usually a quicker process. What you have to supply in terms of information, depends on whether you’re an individual landlord, part of a joint landlord arrangement, a company or a trustee for a rental property in Wales.
You will also need to supply information on the properties rented out on Assured, Assured Shorthold or a Regulated Tenancy. The good news is, Reoli can help you with this. As part of our compliance with GDPR (that’s for another blog post), you can export a list of all your properties. Although we’re not live yet, this will certainly help those considering moving into the property market.
When is the deadline for Rent Smart Wales?
The deadline has come and gone, and since 23rd November 2015, every landlord or agent in Wales needs to be registered. However, in January 2018, it was still predicted that around 3,000 landlords weren’t registered. But, be warned - they are prosecuting!
What’s classified as a Landlord?
There are a list of “landlord letting activities” defined by Rent Smart Wales, which are:
- arranging or conducting viewings with prospective tenants;
- gathering evidence for the purpose of establishing the suitability of prospective tenants (for example, by confirming character references, undertaking credit checks or interviewing a prospective tenant);
- preparing, or arranging the preparation, of a tenancy agreement;
- preparing, or arranging the preparation, of an inventory for the dwelling or schedule of condition for the dwelling.
Even if you’re not the landlord yourself but act on behalf of one (for example, arrange repairs or maintenance, serving notice to terminate a tenancy), you still need to register.
Is training required?
In a broad sense, yes, training is required. This applied more so to individuals rather than companies. In respect of a company, they will have “connected persons” (employees) and they will need to be trained and named as part of the application.
Is there an English version?
In short - no. There is only a Welsh version at the moment. But there are schemes that are in place in England and not in Wales, like the Right to Rent scheme - but that’s for another post!
Is my Landlord registered?
It’s a good question and one you’re more than entitled to ask. Rent Smart Wales gives you access to a public register where you can check your landlord or property to ensure they’re registered. It can be accessed here.
If you have concerns, you should contact Rent Smart Wales using the details below, and they can investigate this.
We encourage all landlords who have properties in Wales to record their registration details on their Reoli account. Any tenants who have an account with Reoli can view this information from within their tenancies. If your landlord has given you a welcome pack from Reoli, we’ll also include it there if the landlord has asked us to.
Want to know more?
The Welsh Government has a fact filled website with many popular questions answered. It also has a course search, and as you’d expect, the licence application process. Check it out below:
https://www.rentsmart.gov.wales
You can also contact them on 03000 133344 for more information or help.