Renting Homes (Wales) Act: 2016 Renting has changed
What do I need to know?
On 1 December 2022 the rules about how you rent your home changed.
The Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 should make renting a home in Wales more simple and straightforward.
There are some changes to familiar terms (for example, tenants are now known as ‘contract holders’).
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The Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 sets out new rules which affect both private and social (council and housing association) contract holders. The rules affect you if:
- you were renting your current home before the 1 December 2022, or
- you plan to start renting a home after the 1 December 2022.
Most of the tenancies and licences, including assured shorthold, assured and secure tenancies, have changed to:
- secure occupation contracts, or
- standard occupation contracts
The type of occupation contract you have depends on who the property is owned by.
Tenants are now known as ‘contract holders’.
Landlords are divided into:
- community landlords (council and housing associations)
- private landlords
Community landlords will usually give secure occupation contracts.
Private landlords will usually give standard occupation contracts.
There are some terms that have to be included in every occupation contract.
Landlords must issue contract holders with a written statement within 14 days of moving in, setting out the rights and responsibilities.
Any landlord who does not give a complete or correct written statement in the right time can face penalties.
The rules about how a landlord can end an occupation contract have change. For example:
the notice period that a landlord must give a contract holder who entered into a contract on or after 1 December 2022 under ‘no fault’ grounds (previously known as a ‘section 21 notice‘) will be 6 months
a landlord cannot give such a notice until 6 months after the contract starts
a landlord cannot give such a notice unless they have complied with certain obligations, including registration, licensing, deposit protection rules and health & safety provisions.
All rented properties must be fit for human habitation.
Your landlord cannot evict you just because you have complained about the condition of the property .
A joint contract holder can move out without the contract ending for the remaining joint contract holders.
New joint contract holders can be added without having to end the current contract.
It is now easier for certain groups of people, including some carers, to take over a person’s occupation contract on their death (‘succession’).
There is a new procedure for landlords to obtain possession of a property that has been abandoned.
