Renting Homes Wales Act has arrived

The Renting Homes (Wales) Act has now come into force.  This is the biggest change to housing law in Wales for decades and will affect all tenants.

Across Wales, the Welsh Government's Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 has changed the way all landlords in Wales rent their properties. It will improve how people rent, manage, and live in rented homes – which is good news for all tenants across Wales.

Here are some of the questions we have been asked by our tenants.

What does it mean for me?
There's no need to worry. You will still be able to live in your home, you will still pay rent, and we will still do your repairs and look after your estates and communal areas. There are lots of positives for tenants.

The new law will make renting easier and provide greater security for you and all tenants, even those renting privately.

• New customers will sign the new contract in the usual way.
• You’ll retain your existing legal rights to stay in your home.
• You will continue to receive the same services from us.
• Your rent will stay the same and, as we do every year, we will write to you in early 2023 about any increases from April 2023 onwards.
• Contract holders (new tenants) can be added with our agreement and removed with notice, without the need to end the contract.
• Improved succession rights, setting out who has a right to continue living in a property if the existing contract holder dies.
• We will maintain a consistent approach to anti-social behaviour.
• We will be able to repossess abandoned properties without a court order.

Will we be called something different?
Under the new law, all tenants will become ‘contract-holders’.

Tenancy agreements will be replaced with ‘occupation contracts’.

We will be known as a ‘community landlord’.

Do I get a new contract?
Yes, you will receive a new contract within six months of the implementation date which will replace your existing tenancy agreement. It will be a large document that we legally must send to you.

To make things easier, we will include a letter with it which will explain all the changes. You won’t have to do anything, but we do ask that you take time to read it, so you understand your rights and responsibilities and keep it in a safe place for future reference.

How do I find out more?
You can find out more by going to our dedicated page here or by going to www.gov.wales/rentinghomes