Renting Homes (Wales) Act Occupation Contracts

The Welsh Government’s long-awaited evaluation of the licensing and registration body has been published, revealing both progress and persistent gaps in effectiveness – including a notable proportion of unregistered or unlicensed landlords. Propertymark welcomes this renewed scrutiny that aligns with our consistent call for increased transparency, more robust enforcement, and improvement of engagement with property professionals and tenants.

The Welsh Government has confirmed it will not proceed with proposals that would have required landlords to pay tenants compensation when issuing a Section 173 possession notice. The decision follows extensive consultation and lobbying from Propertymark and other sector stakeholders, who welcomed the move as a win for common sense and fair reform.

One of the key themes of the White Paper is the Welsh Government’s commitment to achieving housing adequacy — a concept that includes affordability, security, and access to quality housing. While Propertymark agrees with this goal and supports enshrining housing adequacy as a human right in Welsh law, we have urged policymakers to focus on pro-growth policies rather than introducing restrictions that will force landlords out of the market.

The Welsh Government’s response to the Local Government and Housing Committee's report on the Private Rented Sector (PRS) demonstrates alignment with Propertymark on key areas, such as the importance of the sector, the need for better data, and support for landlords and tenants.