Registration and licensing are separate processes. Identify who actually conducts the regulated activities. An owner using a properly licensed agent still needs to address their own landlord registration obligations.
Map the work before choosing a licence route
Make a task list for the letting. Include work done only occasionally, such as finding a replacement contract-holder or arranging a repair while the usual manager is away.
- Compare each person's activities with the official letting and property-management definitions. Receiving help from an agent does not necessarily remove a landlord's own licensing requirement.
- Distinguish the owner, company, directors, employees and external agent. Check the correct applicant and training requirements for the arrangement rather than using another person's licence number.
- Agree who provides cover for holidays and emergencies. A handover should identify who is authorised and properly licensed to do the work.
Appointing an agent
Check the agent before giving them responsibility or allowing them to advertise. Keep a copy of the appointment and the current licence details.
- Verify the licence on the official register, including the legal name and any relevant conditions. A logo on a website is not the same as a current licence.
- Set out the work included, who holds documents and money, how repairs are approved and when the owner receives reports. Give the agent the right property and owner details.
- Ask how they will return records and transfer open matters if the appointment ends. A landlord taking management back should resolve their own licensing position before starting the work.
Training, application and renewal
Use the current Rent Smart Wales process. Completion of a course, submission of an application and grant of a licence are different events.
- Keep course certificates, application records and any requests for further information. Record outstanding actions and the person handling them.
- Read the conditions when the licence is granted. Put recurring requirements and evidence dates into a management diary rather than relying on the licence expiry date alone.
- Before renewal, reconcile the property list, staff or agent arrangements and complaints records. Escalate uncertainty about activities to Rent Smart Wales before assuming an exemption.
Example: an agent only finds the tenant
A fictional agent advertises and arranges the contract, but the owner then collects rent and manages repairs. The owner must assess the management work against the licensing rules. The agent's involvement at the start does not establish that the owner's later work is covered.
What to do
- List who advertises, arranges contracts and manages the home.
- Check the relevant licence and training requirements with Rent Smart Wales.
- Read the conditions attached to the issued licence and record renewal dates.
Evidence to keep
- Licence and conditions
- Training evidence and management agreement
Sources and guidance
- Landlord and agent licensingRent Smart Wales · checked 20 October 2026
- Landlord registrationRent Smart Wales · checked 20 October 2026