Our successes
Our campaign supporters have helped us achieve great things. From signing petitions, emailing Assembly Members, to social media campaigning and getting involved in mystery shops, campaigning together is essential for us to end homelessness. Add your voice to the thousands of other people in Wales who are our supporters and consider donating here.
Our latest campaign successes
Ending no-fault evictions
In Wales at least 42% of private tenants do not have a fixed term tenancy agreement. This means they are vulnerable to a ‘no-fault’ eviction, meaning a landlord can evict without having to give a reason, with only two months’ notice.
In our fight to improve security for tenants in Wales we created a petition, lobbied Assembly Members, called on local authorities to support the campaign and highlighted the issue in the media.
As a result of our campaigning, in spring 2019 the Welsh Government announced plans to end ‘no-fault’ evictions. Since then the Government has published a revised proposal, which they say will be easier to achieve before the next Welsh elections in 2021.
The proposal won’t end ‘no-fault’ but it will make it harder to use, by increasing the notice period from two months to six. This will effectively give tenants a minimum of one year’s security.
We’re currently waiting for the Bill to be laid before the Senedd.
We will update the campaign page with more information as this evolves.
Letting Go – Ban letting fees to tenants
We started campaigning in March 2016 to ban letting agent fees in Wales. Our campaign supporters carried out a mystery shop which found a widespread disregard for the law, with more than half of agents not following legal requirements to display their fees clearly. Our supporters signed a petition which we presented to the Senedd.
Thanks to our campaigning the Welsh Government acted to outlaw unfair letting fees. The ban came into force 1st September 2019.
Waste Not Want Not – making the most of Discretionary Housing Payment (DHPs)
Back in February 2017 we launched our campaign to raise awareness of Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs), an important source of financial help for people struggling with their rent. The money is given to Welsh councils every year by the UK Government. It is up to councils to give the money to people who need it, and the funds must be returned to the Government if not spent by the end of March.
Although many councils worked hard to do this, some were sending money back every year. Hundreds of thousands of pounds were being wasted – so we stepped in to ensure that councils were making the most of this vital fund. We shared best practice with councils and we let the public know about the wasted money. In 2017 councils sent back nearly £300,000. After two years of our campaign, they only sent back £773!
Find out more about this ongoing campaign here.
Become a campaign supporter
Every year we help tens of thousands of people struggling with bad housing or homelessness – and we campaign to prevent it in the first place.
Add your name as a campaign supporter to help end homelessness.
