One aim of the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 (‘the Act’) when it comes into force on 1 December 2022, is to improve security of tenure and a way of achieving this is by increasing the period of notice that a landlord must give when seeking repossession where the tenant is not at fault.
Any existing periodic assured shorthold tenancies will become periodic standard contracts under the Act and landlords will have a right to recover possession by giving two months’ notice (no fault possession). Section 173 of the Act provides that for any new periodic standard contract granted on or after 1 December 2022, the no fault ground for possession will require six months’ notice. This longer notice period of six months applies only to those occupation contracts that are agreed on or after the date the Act comes into force but, this consultation proposes to apply six month notice periods to existing tenancies that convert to occupation contracts under the Act.
It is proposed that this change takes effect six months after the Act comes into force in order to allow sufficient time to make any changes necessary to prepare for its implementation. If the proposal is implemented, following the initial 6 month period from implementation, existing and future tenants will be on equal footing.
The consultation closes on 24 October 2022 and the paper can be found here.
For more information, please contact Lee Russell or Victoria Smith.
