Ceredigion: landlord licensing
Ceredigion 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 whole county for HMOs with five or more people in two or more households (any number of storeys) and for converted flats; in the Aberystwyth and Llanbadarn Fawr area it also catches HMOs with three or more people in three or more households
- Dates
- 10 Jul 2024 – 9 Jul 2029
- Approx. fee
- £334 per habitable room
Official local authority licensing designation
Mandatory HMO licensing (applies everywhere in Wales)
Regardless of local schemes, a property in Ceredigion 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
Ceredigion runs additional HMO licensing from 10 July 2024 to 9 July 2029. County-wide it covers HMOs with five or more people in two or more households, whatever the number of storeys, plus converted flats. Around Aberystwyth it also covers three or more people.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a landlord licence in Ceredigion?
Ceredigion 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 Ceredigion?
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.
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🏛️ 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.