Rent Smart Wales Training Courses

Why Training Is Required

You cannot apply for a Rent Smart Wales landlord licence without first completing an approved training course. This is a hard prerequisite — the licence application form asks for your training completion reference, and without it the application cannot proceed.

Training covers the statutory duties you take on as a licensed landlord: occupation contracts under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016, housing health and safety standards, property management obligations, and the Code of Practice.

Course Options and Costs

Rent Smart Wales direct courses

NRLA courses (approved by RSW)

Other authorised External Training Providers (ETPs) exist and set their own commercial fees. RSW maintains a list of approved providers on their portal.

The online course is the most cost-effective option for most landlords. At £35 through RSW (or £30 through the NRLA for members), it is the cheapest route to licence eligibility. You can work through it at your own pace across multiple sessions — there is no requirement to finish in one sitting.

What the Training Covers

The landlord course covers:

• Your legal obligations under the Housing (Wales) Act 2014
• Standard occupation contracts under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016
• The written statement requirement (14 days from occupation date)
• Property safety standards including fitness for human habitation, smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, EICRs and gas safety certificates
• Deposit protection rules
• The Rent Smart Wales Code of Practice
• Your duties around anti-social behaviour
• Record-keeping requirements (minimum two years or the tenancy duration, whichever is longer)

Agent training is longer (7.5 hours) and more expensive (£60 online, £140 classroom) because it covers additional business safeguards: client money protection, professional indemnity insurance, and redress scheme requirements.

Timing: Complete Training Before You Apply

The sequence matters:

1. Register as a landlord (£60) — this can happen at any time
2. Complete approved training — get your completion reference
3. Apply for your landlord licence (£254) — the application requires the training reference

You cannot reverse steps 2 and 3. Some landlords try to submit the licence application first and plan to do the training while the application is being processed. RSW will not accept an incomplete application.

Allow enough time. The online course takes roughly five hours of study. If you spread it over a few evenings, budget a week. Then submit your licence application promptly — there is no point waiting once training is done.

Renewal Training (Every Five Years)

When your licence comes up for renewal after five years, you must complete Continuing Professional Development (CPD) training before renewing. The renewal course includes a core CPD module plus selected supplementary modules, and you need a minimum 70% pass mark on the assessment.

CPD ensures you are up to date with legislative changes. Welsh housing law has shifted significantly since the original 2016 commencement — the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 replaced ASTs, new fitness for human habitation standards took effect, and licence conditions were updated in September 2025. Renewal training covers all of this.

Corporate Landlords: Director Training

If your rental property is owned by a company, the training requirement extends to directors and senior managers who exercise operational oversight over the letting activities. Since the September 2025 licence condition update, corporate directors must undergo approved RSW training and be formally linked to the corporate licence profile.

For a complete guide to the training, licence application and fit-and-proper declaration process, see our Rent Smart Wales guide.

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