Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016

• In 2016, the Senedd passed the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 with the aim of making it simpler and easier for landlords and tenants to rent a home in Wales.
• The Act is the biggest change to housing law in Wales for decades and has been planned by Welsh Government for a while
• It introduces many changes to tenancy laws and will apply to both social landlords (like Caredig) and the private rented sector.
• The changes brought by the Act have been scrutinised by tenant organisations such as TPAS Cymru and Shelter Cymru.

• The Act will apply from December 1st 2022.

• It simplifies agreements and improves the condition of rental homes in Wales
• It offers greater security and certainty to tenants and landlords

• All landlords: private and social
• All tenants: private and social

• To make it easier to rent a home in Wales
• To improve the condition of rental homes across Wales
• To improve consistency of standards, whether you live in a home rented from a social landlord or a home rented from a private landlord
• To give people living in rented homes, as well as landlords, better security

• Under the new law a ‘Tenancy Agreement’ will be known as an ‘Occupation Contract’ and a ‘Tenant’ will be known as a ‘Contract Holder’
• As a tenant you will get increased security, 6 months’ notice will need to be given as long as the contract is not breached.
• All properties must be safe, such as working smoke alarms and electrical safety testing.
• A fair and consistent approach to anti-social behaviour.
• Increased succession rights to pass on your home. This means in some circumstances, you can pass your home or contract onto other people after your death. For example, you can ask for your home to be passed onto your partner.
• A Contract Holder can be added or removed to an Agreement without the need to end the contract.
• Landlords will be able to repossess abandoned properties without a court order

• It simplifies and improves your rights as a tenant
• It improves how landlords manage rented homes in Wales

• Existing Caredig tenants will receive an Occupation Contract by the end of 31st May 2023, replacing your Tenancy Agreement.
• New tenants after 01st December 2022 will sign the new contract and will receive a copy within 14 days

• No, this has no effect on your rent and it won’t cost you any money.

• We would like to send you your contract electronically in future. This is because we are reducing our carbon footprint and printing less paper is better for the environment. It also saves money on print and postage, which can be reinvested into providing quicker, better services for you. To give us permission, please call us on 01792 460192
• Once you get your contract please read it and familiarise yourself with it. Your contract will explain what you can and can’t do as a tenant, and what Caredig can and can’t do as a landlord.

• Contract-holders can be added or removed from occupation contracts without the need to end one contract and start another. This will make managing joint contract easier and help victims of domestic abuse by enabling the perpetrator to be targeted for eviction.

• It enables both a ‘priority’ and ‘reserve’ successor to succeed to the occupation contract. This allows 2 successions to the contract to take place, for example a spouse followed by another family member. In addition, a new succession right for carers is created

• Landlords must ensure properties are fit for human habitation (FFHH). This will include, for instance, electrical safety testing and ensuring working smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors are fitted. In addition, rent will not be payable for any period during which the dwelling is not fit for human habitation.
• Find out what your landlord must do to ensure your home is fit for human habitation.

If you live in supported accommodation for more than 6 months, you become entitled to a ‘supported standard contract’. The supported standard contract will operate in a similar way to the standard contract. However, your landlord may include terms in the contract relating to:

• the ability to relocate the contract-holder within the building
• the ability for the landlord to temporarily exclude the contract-holder from the dwelling for up to 48 hours, a maximum of 3 times in 6 months

Visit: https://gov.wales/housing-law-changing-renting-homes