Cardiff: landlord licensing
Cardiff operates discretionary property licensing. Here is what is in force, what is coming, and how to check whether your property is affected.
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Active additional (HMO) licensing
Additional licensing extends HMO licensing to smaller shared houses (typically 3-4 sharers) that fall below the mandatory threshold.
Additional (HMO) licensing
activeThe Cathays ward, covering every HMO of any size or type that is not already covered by mandatory licensing
- Dates
- 1 Feb 2023 – 1 Feb 2028
- Approx. fee
- £390
- Wards / areas
- Cathays
Official local authority licensing designation
Recently expired
Additional (HMO) licensing
expiredThe Plasnewydd ward, covering every HMO of any size not already covered by mandatory licensing
- Dates
- 1 Jan 2021 – 1 Jan 2026
- Approx. fee
- £390
- Wards / areas
- Plasnewydd
Official local authority licensing designation
Mandatory HMO licensing (applies everywhere in Wales)
Regardless of local schemes, a property in Cardiff needs a mandatory HMO licence where it has three or more storeys and is let to 5 or more people forming 2 or more households who share a kitchen, bathroom or toilet. Wales kept that three-storey test when England dropped it in 2018. Separately, every landlord in Wales must register with Rent Smart Wales, and must hold a licence too unless a licensed agent manages the property.
Penalties for operating unlicensed
- Fixed penalty notice of £150-£250 per offence from Rent Smart Wales.
- Unlimited fine on conviction in the magistrates' court.
- Rent Repayment Order of up to 12 months' rent, claimable by the tenant. The 24-month uplift applies in England only.
- A rent stopping order can be made, and you cannot serve a valid possession notice while unregistered or unlicensed.
Notes
In Cathays, any size of HMO needs an additional licence until 1 February 2028. The separate Plasnewydd scheme's five year term ended on 1 January 2026, but the council still lists it as running, so check with Cardiff before letting there. No selective licensing.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a landlord licence in Cardiff?
Cardiff operates 1 additional (HMO) licensing scheme(s). Whether your specific property needs a licence depends on its exact location and how it is let. Separately, mandatory HMO licensing still applies, to properties of three or more storeys let to 5 or more people forming 2 or more households. Every Welsh landlord must also register with Rent Smart Wales.
What is the penalty for an unlicensed property in Cardiff?
Letting an unregistered or unlicensed property in Wales can lead to a fixed penalty notice of £150-£250, an unlimited fine on conviction, a Rent Repayment Order of up to 12 months' rent, and a rent stopping order. You also cannot serve a valid possession notice while unregistered or unlicensed.
Can a tenant in Cardiff claim rent back from an unlicensed landlord?
Yes. Letting a property that required a licence, without one, is an offence under section 72(1) or section 95(1) of the Housing Act 2004, and a tenant can apply to the First-tier Tribunal for a Rent Repayment Order of up to 12 months' rent. No conviction is needed first, but the tribunal must be satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the offence was committed, and the application must be made within two years of it. Tribunals award a percentage of the rent rather than the maximum, following the method in Acheampong v Roman [2022] UKUT 239 (LC).
Does your property need a licence?
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Renting in Cardiff?
If your home needed a licence and did not have one, you may be able to claim rent back
A Rent Repayment Order can be up to 12 months' rent, you apply to the tribunal yourself, and your landlord does not need to have been prosecuted. The deadline is two years from the offence.
🏛️ Government-backed data: built from official local authority licensing designations, ONS council boundaries and UK housing legislation (Housing Act 2004), verified as of July 2026. PRSCheck is an information service, not legal advice. Many schemes are designated at street or part-ward level; the paid report confirms the exact boundary and official source for your address. Browse all councils.