Another new rule for Landlords in Wales

New rules coming into effect in Wales from the end of February will mean landlords will require planning permission to convert a house from use as a single household to a shared rental property of 3 to 6 unrelated people, commonly known as Homes for Multiple Occupancy (HMO)

Landlords will need to pay a fee of £380 upfront when they apply for the planning permission, this is similar to the way the scheme works in England, there will be no guarantee that permission will be granted however.

The Residential Landlords Association (RLA) Vice Chairman for Wales, Douglas Haig reportedly said: “All the evidence shows that Wales needs more, not less rented housing. It beggars belief therefore that landlords are being clobbered once again, expected to pay up for planning permission to convert the use of properties.

“The reality is that landlords will have little option other than to raise rents or exit the market altogether faced with the growing costs of renting housing. Either way, it is tenants who will lose out.

“We call on the government to think again about these planning changes which will simply become a cash cow for local authorities.”

 

Allen Walkey

Highly experienced businessman with a successful career in property sales and investment both in the UK and abroad. Now a freelance writer and blogger for the property and Investment Industry, keeping readers up-to-date with changes and events in a rapidly changing world.

You May Also Enjoy

Letting Agent Talk

Dispelling the top five biggest letting agent myths

By Sophie Danes, Group Director of Property Management, Lomond   This year has seen the introduction of the seismic Renters’ Rights Act (RRA) as well as other changes affecting the private rented sector (PRS) coming into force, such as the rollout of Making Tax Digital (MTD). As a result, more than ever before, there is…
Read More
bank of england interest rate
Breaking News

Bank of England Holds Interest Rates at 3.75%

Colleen Babcock, property expert at Rightmove says: “There’s stability for now as the Bank of England holds its Base Rate as widely expected. We’ve seen average mortgage rates increase over the last few weeks as geopolitical tensions have escalated, and the average two-year fixed rate is currently coming it at 5.11%. For broader context, this…
Read More
New Builds 2020
Breaking News

Average new-build value to surpass £400,000

The latest research from UK Property Development has found that the average price of a new-build home in England is on course to exceed £400,000 by 2027, having risen steadily over the last decade alongside sustained growth across the wider British market. The research analysed average new-build house price data across Great Britain and its…
Read More
Breaking News

Money and Credit – June 2026

These monthly statistics on the amount of, and interest rates on, borrowing and deposits by households and businesses are used by the Bank’s policy committees to understand economic trends and developments in the UK banking system. Key points: Net borrowing of mortgage debt by individuals increased to £7.7 billion in June, from £3.3 billion in…
Read More
Breaking News

Price of a sea-view home up 27% since 2019

The average asking price for a home with a sea-view in Great Britain is £298,810, up from £235,635 in 2019 (+27%) Average sea-view asking prices have risen by more than 50% since 2019 in both the East Midlands and Yorkshire & The Humber The South East remains the most expensive region for a sea-view home…
Read More
Breaking News

14.6% fewer farms in England

The latest analysis by LandSale has found that the number of agricultural holdings in England has fallen by 14.6% since 2005, highlighting the continued restructuring of the farming sector as some landowners exit the industry and others consolidate their operations. LandSale analysed the latest UK Government agricultural holdings data, comparing the number of total holdings and…
Read More