The change to the Renting Homes Act set to come into force in Wales on the 15th July 2022 has been postponed until 1st December 2022 so make the most of the added time you now have to understand the changes.
This comes as a relief to many Welsh landlords who were concerned by the requirements and did not feel like that had had enough time to prepare and get to grips with them.
In April 2022 Mashroom ran a webinar to discuss the upcoming changes. Adam Males who ran the webinar said; ‘the 6 month deadline set by the Welsh government was unrealistic to achieve and likely to have seen many properties not complying with the new laws within that time frame. This delay also provides landlords in Wales with extra time to look at funds and costs for changes to their properties.’
With a delay of five and a half months landlords can now breathe a sigh of relief. However, The ways landlords can evict tenants, issue tenancy contracts, and manage their properties are still set to be affected by the act.
What does the Renting Homes Act (Wales) cover?
ASTs will be replaced with newly-named occupation contracts or standard contracts, while ‘contract holder’ will replace the terms ‘tenants’ or ‘licensees’
There will be a six-month notice requirement for a landlord to end a contract where the tenant is not at fault
Minimum ‘security of tenure’ of one year from the date of moving in
Tighter rules on retaliatory evictions
Easier management of joint tenancies
It states that landlord properties must also pass the minimum fit for human habitation (FFHH) test (which includes electrical safety testing and ensuring working smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors are fitted, amongst other requirements).
The NRLA called out to the Welsh Government and asked them to ‘consider the question of how landlords can introduce far-reaching legislation within the original implementation timescale.’
It will also mean abandoned properties can be repossessed without any need for a court order.
The postponement of the Renting Home Act in Wales was welcomed by many. giving much more time needed for landlords in Wales to prepare for these changes to come into force on the 1st December 2022.
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