Wales · Council licensing
Landlord licensing in Torfaen
✓ Hand-verified 19 Aug 2026Beyond mandatory HMO licensing, Torfaen does not currently operate a selective or additional licensing scheme. Here's the current position.
Required for any HMO let to 5 or more people forming 2+ households who share facilities.
One payment, and the licence lasts 5 years.
Torfaen — council's own published fees, read, read 19 Aug 2026
Evidenced negative by enumeration (first-party research 19 Aug 2026): the council HMO pages describe HMO licensing under the Housing Act 2004 and name no s.80 selective designation. Torfaen pages use modal wording describing what a council MAY do under the Act. That is the statutory power, not an exercise of it, and is not evidence of a scheme. Rent Smart Wales is a national registration and licensing regime under the Housing (Wales) Act 2014 and is neither evidence for nor against a Housing Act 2004 designation. Distinct from Blaenau Gwent, Monmouthshire, Newport and Caerphilly.
Evidenced negative by enumeration (first-party research 19 Aug 2026): the council HMO pages name no s.56 additional designation, and the modal "may do" wording describes the statutory power only. Fee quoted verbatim: "The fee is £708.00 for a 5 year licence." This is the local authority mandatory HMO licence fee, not a Rent Smart Wales registration fee. Single flat figure. this row previously held 950, which is not a figure Torfaen publishes and carried no currency formatting.
Common questions
Does Torfaen have a selective licensing scheme?
No. Torfaen does not currently operate a selective licensing scheme. Mandatory HMO licensing still applies wherever a property is let to five or more people forming two or more households.
Does Torfaen have an additional HMO licensing scheme?
No. Torfaen does not currently operate an additional HMO licensing scheme. Mandatory HMO licensing still applies wherever a property is let to five or more people forming two or more households.
Do I need an HMO licence in Torfaen?
A mandatory HMO licence is required anywhere in England and Wales, including Torfaen, where a property is let to five or more people forming two or more households who share basic amenities. Smaller shared houses may also need a licence where an additional licensing scheme applies.
- Free landlord compliance check — five questions, no account
- Tenancy agreement checker — findings cited to the Act and section
- Selective licensing explained: who needs it, how to check
- Additional HMO licensing: the scheme for small shared houses
- Selective, additional or mandatory: which licence applies
- Do I need a licence to rent out my house?
Welsh letting law is not English letting law. These cover what actually applies here.
All property licensing in Wales →
Source: Torfaen licensing page →
Every landlord in Torfaen also needs
A valid Gas Safety certificate (annual), an EICR (every 5 years), a valid EPC, a protected deposit, and smoke & CO alarms. In Wales you must also be licensed with Rent Smart Wales (or use a licensed agent), issue a written occupation contract and the accompanying written statement, and comply with the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 — which replaced assured shorthold tenancies with occupation contracts and ended Section 21 in Wales in December 2022. The England-only How to Rent guide and Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet do not apply here.
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