The Renting Homes (Amendment) (Wales) Bill

The Renting Homes (Amendment) (Wales) Bill was passed by Welsh Government on 23 February 2021 and will amend the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 to give residential tenants in Wales greater security.

The main changes provided for in the Bill are:

• Tenants will be entitled to a minimum contract period of 12 months
• Landlords will be required to give six months’ notice instead of two to terminate the tenancy on “no fault” grounds and will only be able to serve this notice after the tenant has moved in.

In addition, rental contracts will be simplified and standardised and model forms of contact will be made available. The six month notice period will not apply where the tenant is in breach of his obligations and in those circumstances the landlord will still be entitled to seek repossession.

The changes in notice periods apply only to tenancies classified by the 2016 Act as “standard contracts” – they will not apply to “secure contracts” more commonly entered into by community landlords such as local authorities and housing associations.

The Bill has not yet received Royal Assent and the final version of the Bill is not yet available but the changes are expected to take effect from spring 2022. According to the Welsh Government press release the Bill will have benefits for both landlords and tenants alike in the form of a fairer, simpler and more efficient system for renting homes. It has also been welcomed by tenant representatives for making renting in Wales easier and more secure.