Guaranteed rent for HMOs in South Wales.

How guaranteed rent works

• A fixed rent. You are paid the same amount every month for the agreed term, whether every room is let or none are.
• The provider runs the house. Advertising the rooms, vetting and choosing tenants, and filling vacancies.
• Costs are set out in the agreement. With EKLiving, we pay all bills and minor maintenance, and charge 0% fees.
• A fixed term. Our guaranteed rent agreements run for three to five years.

Guaranteed rent or letting the rooms yourself?

The trade-off is simple. With guaranteed rent your income is fixed, so you give up the extra a fully let house might earn in a good month in exchange for certainty in every month. If you would rather keep that upside and take on the empty rooms, bills and tenants yourself, letting the rooms yourself or a short let may suit you better.

The rules for HMOs in Wales

A house in multiple occupation (HMO) is, broadly, a home shared by three or more people from two or more households who share a kitchen, bathroom or toilet. Whoever runs it, these rules apply.

• Rent Smart Wales. Every private landlord in Wales must register with Rent Smart Wales, and anyone who lets or manages a rented home must hold a licence. Registration and licensing are two separate processes.
• Mandatory HMO licence. You need a licence from the council if the property has three or more storeys and is occupied by five or more people forming two or more households who share facilities.
• Additional licensing. Councils can require licences for smaller HMOs in set areas. Swansea licenses every HMO, whatever its size, in the Castle, Uplands, Waterfront and St Thomas wards, from 14 February 2026 to 14 February 2031. Cardiff has run additional licensing in Cathays and Plasnewydd: check Cardiff Council's HMO pages for the areas in force.
• Planning permission. Since 25 February 2016, turning a family home (use class C3) into a small HMO for three to six people (use class C4) needs planning permission in Wales. HMOs for seven or more people need permission too. Councils also limit how many HMOs they allow in one area, and Cardiff applies its own thresholds in Cathays and Plasnewydd.

Licences come with conditions on room sizes, shared facilities and fire safety, and councils can prosecute and fine landlords who let an unlicensed HMO. This guide covers Wales; in Bristol, HMO licensing and planning are set by Bristol City Council.

Questions to ask before you sign

• Is the rent fixed for the whole term, and on what date is it paid each month?
• Who pays the bills, council tax and maintenance, and where is the line between minor and major repairs?
• Who holds the Rent Smart Wales registration and licence, and any HMO licence?
• What condition will the property be handed back in, and what happens at the end of the term?
• Is there a break clause, and on what terms?
• Have you got consent from your mortgage lender and insurer? See our guide to mortgage and insurance consent.

Where EKLiving fits in

We offer guaranteed rent on HMOs across South Wales and Bristol: a fixed rent for three to five years, 0% fees, with all bills and minor maintenance covered. Every tenant is referenced and vetted, and most are working professionals. On a free call, we will look at your property and tell you honestly whether guaranteed rent, a short let or a long let suits it best.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Licensing and planning rules vary between councils and change over time, so check with your council before you let.