Landlords whose first licences were granted near the end of 2016 may now be approaching their second renewal, while recent figures show that enforcement remains active.
A fresh wave of Rent Smart Wales renewals is falling due. Landlords who first obtained a licence near the end of the original implementation period in 2016, then renewed around 2021, may now be reaching their second renewal date.
A licence lasts for five years and does not renew automatically. The National Residential Landlords Association, citing Rent Smart Wales figures, says 93 prosecutions have been recorded during 2026, compared with 84 in 2025.
Those figures should not be read as evidence that every late renewal leads directly to prosecution. Rent Smart Wales says most reports result in compliance without further action. They do show, however, that registration and licensing remain active legal requirements rather than one-off administrative exercises.
Registration and licensing are separate
Every landlord letting a property in Wales on a domestic tenancy must have a landlord registration, unless an exemption applies. Registration lasts for five years and has its own renewal date and fee.
Licensing is a different process. A landlord who carries out letting or management activities at a property they own needs a licence and approved training. A landlord who hands all relevant work to a licensed agent may not need a personal licence, but must still be registered and must appoint the licensed agent.
The two expiry dates may differ. A landlord can therefore have a valid registration but an expiring licence, or the reverse. Rent Smart Wales advises landlords to distinguish carefully between reminders for registration and reminders for licensing.
The renewal window opens 84 days before expiry
A licence renewal application can be submitted during the 84 days before the existing licence expires. The new five-year period begins after the previous licence ends, so applying early does not shorten the licence term.
Rent Smart Wales states that a licensee who submits a valid renewal application before expiry can continue working legally while the application is determined. The application requires updated personal information, evidence of approved training, a declaration of fitness and propriety and payment of the fee. Additional information may be required where employees or business safeguards are involved.
Renewal training can be completed by repeating approved licence training, taking a re-licensing course within the year before the application, or accumulating continuing professional development points during the licence period. A landlord using the CPD route needs at least 60 points.
Early renewal reduces the licence fee
The current online landlord licence renewal fee is £254. An application made at least 42 days before expiry qualifies for the early compliance rate of £230. Standard paper-based fees are £327, or £302 with the early reward.
Registration carries separate charges. Renewing a landlord registration currently costs £48 online or £87 through the standard route. If a registration is allowed to expire, the higher new-registration fee applies instead. Renewal can be completed up to 84 days before the registration expiry date without changing its anniversary.
These are the published charges at 27 October 2026. Agent licence charges follow a different structure.
Enforcement activity remains substantial
The latest detailed enforcement summary published by Rent Smart Wales covers the period from 1 April 2025 to 30 April 2026. It records 678 fixed penalty notices, 124 completed prosecutions and more than £200,000 in fines. The enforcement system also includes rent repayment orders and rent stopping orders in appropriate cases.
Failure to meet the registration requirements can lead to a fixed penalty notice, prosecution and an unlimited court fine, as well as restrictions affecting rent or possession. The precise outcome depends on the offence, the evidence and the enforcement route used. The current renewal reminder does not introduce a new offence or change the underlying law; it highlights existing duties as a large group of licences reaches another expiry point.
Why the renewal wave matters
For landlords, the practical risk is that registration and licensing can appear interchangeable even though they require separate action. Portfolio changes, joint ownership arrangements and the use of an agent can also alter the information that Rent Smart Wales holds. The expiry dates shown in the account dashboard, licence card and public register are therefore more important than relying on the anniversary of the scheme itself.
For tenants, current records provide a way to check who is responsible for a rented home and whether a person carrying out letting or management work is licensed. Enforcement addresses cases where landlords or agents operate outside the statutory system.
The renewal requirements discussed here apply to rental property in Wales. England, Scotland and Northern Ireland operate different registration, licensing and tenancy systems. The immediate development is a second-renewal wave within the established Welsh scheme, accompanied by evidence that Rent Smart Wales continues to use its enforcement powers.
NetRent does not provide legal advice. This article represents our understanding of rental property law and is provided for general information only. Landlords should obtain independent legal or professional advice where appropriate.
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