Rhentu Doeth Cymru/Rent Smart Wales

What Rhentu Doeth Cymru/Rent Smart Wales does

Rent Smart Wales (Welsh: Rhentu Doeth Cymru) is the statutory licensing authority for the private rented sector in Wales, established under Part 1 of the Housing (Wales) Act 2014 and operated by Cardiff Council with the support of Welsh Government and all 22 Welsh Local Authorities. The organisation mandates that every landlord letting residential property in Wales register with the scheme and that every landlord or letting agent undertaking letting and management activities obtain a licence, valid for five years. It also maintains a publicly searchable register, publishes interactive dashboards covering registrations, properties, licensing, compliance, training, enforcement, and energy performance, and oversees enforcement through fixed penalty notices and prosecutions.

The underlying platform is a web-based portal (rentsmart.gov.wales) providing online registration, licence application and renewal flows, training booking, account management, and a public register search. The technology stack is conventional: standard web application with account-based access controls, payment processing for fees, and monthly or daily data refreshes to statistical dashboards. A network of approved training providers (including NRLA, Safeagent, Connells, Dawsons, TFP Online, The Dispute Service, and The Guild of Letting and Management) delivers mandatory licence training and continuing professional development courses, with discounts granted to members of UKALA, ARLA, RICS, and SafeAgent. The site is aligned to WCAG 2.2 AA accessibility standard.

Revenue is generated entirely from regulatory and training fees rather than commercial contracts. Landlord registration costs £60 online (£102 standard) for new applications and £48 online (£87 standard) for renewals; landlord licences cost £230–£327 depending on online versus standard application and early-renewal compliance; agent licences are graduated by portfolio size; and training courses range from free to £140 per course. The organisation employs approximately 11 staff and operates from County Hall, Atlantic Wharf, Cardiff. In the period 1 April 2025 – 30 April 2026, enforcement activity generated over £200,000 in fines, 678 fixed penalty notices, and 124 completed prosecutions.

Name

Rhentu Doeth Cymru/Rent Smart Wales

Legal name

Rent Smart Wales

Website

https://rentsmart.gov.wales

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Property Licensing & Registration

NAICS

Residential Property Managers (531311), Rental and Leasing Services (532)

SIC

Real Estate Operators (No Developers) & Lessors (6510)

akta.pro primary industry

Housing Benefits & Rent Subsidy Administration (BPAIAKAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Residential Lease Administration & Tenant Services (BPAJAFAL)

Keywords

• Landlord registration
• Agent licensing
• Rental compliance
• Wales housing regulation
• Property compliance enforcement

Headquarters

HQ city

Cardiff

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Landlord Registration Fees: Fees charged for landlord registration and renewal. Registration is valid for 5 years before renewal required.
2. Landlord and Agent Licensing Fees: Fees charged for landlord and agent licences. Landlord licence: £230-254 online, £302-327 standard. Agent fees graduated by portfolio size with discounts for professional body members.
3. Training Course Fees: Revenue from training courses for landlords and agents. Courses range from free (Equality and Diversity CPD) to £140 (Agent Licence Training classroom).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Rent Smart Wales is the statutory licensing authority for the private rented sector in Wales under the Housing (Wales) Act 2014. It administers mandatory landlord registration, landlord and letting-agent licences, an approved training and CPD programme, and a public register of compliant landlords, agents, and properties. It enforces compliance through Fixed Penalty Notices, investigations, and prosecutions across all 22 Welsh Local Authorities.

Product overview

Rent Smart Wales operates a unified government portal for the administration of landlord registration and agent licensing under the Housing (Wales) Act 2014. The core service consists of two interconnected components: mandatory landlord registration (providing property and landlord details) and landlord/agent licensing (required for those undertaking letting and management activities). The platform includes an online public register, a suite of interactive statistical dashboards, and a training programme offering both full licence courses and continuing professional development (CPD) courses for licence renewals. Users access services through online accounts to submit applications, book training, and manage their compliance status.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Landlord Registration Mandatory legal requirement under the Housing (Wales) Act 2014 for landlords letting property on domestic tenancies in Wales. Landlords provide name, contact details, and rental property information and renew every five years.
• Landlord/Agent Licensing Statutory licence required for landlords and letting agents who undertake letting and/or management activities at rental property in Wales, including organising tenancies, collecting rent, and handling tenant issues. Licences are valid for five years.
• Landlord/Agent Licence Training Mandatory training required before submitting an initial licence application, equivalent to a full-day classroom course. Available online, classroom, or virtual classroom via approved providers; covers tenancy setup, legal obligations, health and safety, and property management.
• Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Supplementary training courses used for licence renewal, covering core or supplementary topics. Landlords must achieve 60 CPD points and agents 80 points over the five-year licence period.
• Public Register Online searchable register allowing the public to verify if a landlord is registered and if a landlord or agent is licensed to undertake letting or management tasks at a property.
• Interactive Dashboards Publicly accessible suite of dashboards providing statistics on registrations, properties, licensing, compliance, training, enforcement, contact-centre activity, and energy performance. Data is updated monthly or daily.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over £200,000 in fines from prosecutions in 2025/26
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• 22 Welsh Local AuthoritiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRent Smart Wales works in partnership with all 22 Local Authorities in Wales to fulfil functions under the Housing (Wales) Act 2014. Local Authorities share relevant information with Rent Smart Wales to help determine whether applicants are fit and proper to act as licensed landlords or agents. They also receive information from Rent Smart Wales and implement 'seek and find' projects for enforcement.
• Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water and Hafren DyfrdwyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRent Smart Wales is working with these water companies to ensure landlords are aware of liability for water charges at their rental properties. Landlords can opt in through their Rent Smart Wales account to share details with the water companies, reducing risk of liability.
• Cardiff CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRent Smart Wales is operated by Cardiff Council, which serves as the Data Controller for any personal data provided. Cardiff Council hosts Rent Smart Wales and provides administrative infrastructure.
• Welsh GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRent Smart Wales is supported by Welsh Government and operates under legislation passed by Welsh Government (Housing (Wales) Act 2014, Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016).
• Connells LtdminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerApproved training provider offering classroom and on-the-job training for agent licensing. Course: (Connells) Licence to let. Approved from 21/09/2023 to 20/09/2028.
• Dawsons Training Wales (Dawsons Training Ltd)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerApproved online training provider. Offers Landlord Full Course, Modular Landlord (Wales) Approved Course, and Modular Agent (Wales) Approved Course. Approved from 17/03/2024 to 16/03/2029.
• National Residential Landlord Association (NRLA)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerApproved training provider offering online and classroom training. Courses include Rent Smart Wales Landlord/Agent Licensing Training and NRLA's Renting Homes Wales Act CPD. Approved from 31/10/2023 to 30/10/2028.
• Safeagent (previously NALS)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerApproved training provider offering CPD courses (Safe and Healthy Homes, Data Protection, Equality and Diversity, etc.) and Foundation Lettings Course suitable for agent licence. Approved from 27/07/2023 to 26/07/2028.
• TFP Online LtdminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerApproved online training provider. Courses include Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 CPD, Licensing Training for Landlords/Agents (online and classroom). Approved from 12/02/2023 to 11/02/2028.
• The Dispute Service Limited (T/A Tenancy Deposit Scheme)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerApproved classroom training provider offering Inventories, Tenancy Deposits and Disputes CPD. Approved from 23/10/2021 to 22/10/2026.
• The Guild of Letting and Management LimitedminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerApproved training provider offering online, classroom, distance learning, and on-the-job training. Course: Basic Legal Course - Rent Smart Wales - Touchstone CPS. Approved from 16/03/2022 to 15/03/2027.
• South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, North Wales Fire and Rescue ServiceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with Rent Smart Wales to develop the Fire Safety CPD training course.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• The Property Ombudsman (TPO): UK-approved redress scheme for consumer complaints about estate agents, letting agents, and property management. Comparable because it provides regulatory-style oversight and consumer protection in the UK letting sector, complementing Rent Smart Wales's licensing regime.
• Safeagent (formerly NALS): UK consumer protection scheme for letting and management agents offering accreditation, client money protection, and approved CPD training. Comparable because it sets standards and audits letting agents and serves as an approved training provider under the Rent Smart Wales scheme.
• Deposit Protection Service (DPS): Government-authorised tenancy deposit protection scheme serving landlords and agents across the UK. Comparable as a statutorily-backed, fee-based service operating in the same private rented sector compliance ecosystem that Rent Smart Wales oversees.
• Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS): Government-approved tenancy deposit protection scheme operating across the UK. Comparable as a quasi-regulatory service mandated under housing legislation and an approved training provider for Rent Smart Wales licensing compliance.
• Property Redress Scheme: Government-approved redress scheme for property professionals. Comparable as a parallel consumer protection and member-accreditation body operating alongside statutory landlord regulation in the UK letting market.
• National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA): UK trade association representing landlords and an approved training provider for Rent Smart Wales licensing. Comparable as an industry body offering CPD courses, member services, and advocacy in the same residential rental ecosystem that RSW regulates.

Direct peers

• Scottish Government Landlord Registration: The Scottish Government operates a parallel landlord registration scheme under the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004. It is the closest functional equivalent to Rent Smart Wales, mandating landlord registration in another UK devolved nation with a similar regulatory register and local authority partnership model.

Broad incumbents

• Propertymark (formerly ARLA Propertymark): UK-wide professional body for letting agents, sales agents, valuers, and auctioneers. Comparable because it accredits letting agents (similar to RSW's licensing function), maintains a public register of member agents, and offers approved training and CPD courses that align with Welsh licensing requirements.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/rentsmartwales
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC7lWy7jO6SPrZ9H3i-tHsZQ?view_as=subscriber
• Facebookfacebook.com/RDC.RSW
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rhentu-doeth-cymru-rent-smart-wales

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rhentu Doeth Cymru/Rent Smart Wales