Rent Smart Wales Reaches Training Milestone

The 1,000th person has been trained as part of a new scheme that aims to raise standards in private rented homes across Wales. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Rent Smart Wales is the brand name for the newly launched Welsh Government registration and licensing scheme. The scheme will prevent rogue landlords and agents from letting and managing properties in Wales and improve standards throughout the sector by ensuring that landlord and agents attend training in order to get a licence. The City of Cardiff Council is designated the single licensing authority for the whole of Wales. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

All private landlords are required to register themselves and their properties with Rent Smart Wales. Landlords and Agents who let and manage property must get a licence. To achieve this applicants will make a declaration that they are ‘fit and proper’ to hold a licence, and they and their employees must undertake, and pass, approved training. Landlords who prefer not to let and manage their own property can appoint a licensed agent to manage the property on their behalf. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Landlords and agents have until the 23rd November to comply with their new legal obligations, without fear of legal action. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Representing a significant milestone, the 1,000th person to complete Rent Smart Wales training was recently passed. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Abergavenny-based landlord, David Spencer, who attended a landlord training course in Bridgend, said: “I have been a landlord since 1984. We now have three properties in Abergavenny and although we have things tied up pretty well and we use an agent to find our tenants, a course like this gives us a greater understanding of things. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The course is very good and the detail that the trainer has gone into is fantastic. Before the course I had no understanding of the extra requirements for houses in multiple occupation, so that’s been of interest to me. The main thing that I’ve got from the course is the reassurance that we are currently doing things right. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The information from Rent Smart Wales has been very good and the training fills in the gaps. The website answered all the questions I had. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Having a standard for the whole of the country is going to be good – a level playing field will be great.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Alison Whitehouse of AW Properties recently attended an agent training course in Swansea.
She said: “The course has been very enjoyable. We have all learned a lot, even people who have been in the industry for years. I think the licensing is a good idea as it narrows out rogue landlords and agents and gives the consumer a lot more protection. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I think it will help the private rented sector by improving standards for tenants. I did a lot of reading up online about the legislation and then I contacted Rent Smart Wales to sign up for the course as soon as I was able to. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I think it’s good for landlords so they know they are complying with the law to avoid any penalties or fines.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Once they have completed their training, landlords and agents can complete their licence application, either online at www.rentsmartwales.gov.wales or by completing a paper application.. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cabinet Member for Environment, Cllr Bob Derbyshire, said: “Rent Smart Wales is setting the standard that will professionalise the private rented sector, raising awareness with landlords, agents and tenants of their respective rights and responsibilities. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Since the Minister launched the scheme last November, courses have been taking place the length and breadth of Wales as landlords and agents work towards obtaining their Rent Smart Wales licence. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Landlords who have completed our courses have been very positive, commenting that the course has been very helpful, that they have a better understanding of the responsibilities that come with being a landlord and the training covered areas they had little or no knowledge of.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Ninety-seven per cent of people who have attended courses so far said that the training will help them become a better landlord while 97 per cent would also recommend the course to others. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Derbyshire added: “Landlords and agents have until November this year to become licensed before enforcement action begins. Our message is, don’t leave it until the last minute. You can register and book a course with Rent Smart Wales through the website or by phone.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Following a review, new Rent Smart Wales licence fees for Letting and Management Agents were announced last week. The revisedfee structure takes into consideration the size of an agent’s business and affordability. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Agent representative bodies were consulted and the new fees, based on the number of properties managed by an agent will come into effect on April 25. The revised fees are based on estimated costs and resources and are set to fully recover costs to enable effective delivery of the service, but not to make a profit. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​