MP Mark Williams held a meeting with Ceredigion council, letting agents and landlords last week to discuss how the Rent Smart Wales scheme would be introduced and to raise concerns voiced by landlords and agents.

The concerns raised were based around the licensing fees for the scheme, particularly those applied to agents.

Many argued that these were incredibly high, at nearly £5,000 for a five-year licence. Other charges and accreditation fees relating to agents were also discussed.

Mr Williams said: “The time period between the legislation coming into force and it being put into practice has had both a confusing and negative impact on the way in which it has been received by both landlords and letting agents, and it was important that these issues were raised with the county council.

“I am also concerned as to how the fees adopted by Rent Smart Wales were arrived at, particularly the disparity between the fees applied to letting agents and those applied to landlords.”