Check how the Welsh renting rules have changed

If you’re a tenant, the new rules should make it easier for you to rent and give you more protection.

Your tenancy was automatically replaced with an ‘occupation contract’ on 1 December 2022. You're now called a 'contract holder'.

Instead of having a tenancy agreement, you'll have a ‘written statement’. Your landlord has to give you a written statement.

You also have more rights:

• you'll usually get more notice for a 'no fault' eviction, if you rent from a private landlord

• it's harder for your landlord to evict you if they've broken the law - for example, if they haven't done repairs or given you a written statement

• your landlord has to make your home safe to live in

• you can add or remove people from your joint contract more easily

• you can pass your contract on twice if you die

Check what type of contract you have

If you rent from a council or housing association, your tenancy has probably become a ‘secure contract’.

If you rent from a private landlord, your tenancy has probably been replaced with a ‘standard contract’. 

Check which tenancies didn’t change automatically

Your tenancy or licence didn’t automatically become an occupation contract if you:

• have a 'protected tenancy' - this usually means the tenancy started before 15 January 1989

• have a tenancy or licence that's connected to being in the armed forces, to your bail or probation, or to immigration or asylum

• are an 'excluded occupier' - for example, if you live with your landlord or you're staying in a holiday let

Your rights are the same as before - the new rules don’t affect you.

Check when your landlord has to send you a written statement

Your landlord must give you a written statement if your tenancy has changed to a contract. If you have a tenancy agreement, the written statement will replace it.

You should check and sign the written statement when you get it. You don’t need to do anything else.

Even if you don’t have your written statement yet, your tenancy was still replaced by an occupation contract automatically.

If you started renting your home before 1 December 2022, your landlord usually had until 1 June 2023 to give you a written statement. 

If you rent a home starting on or after 1 December 2022, your landlord has to give you the written statement within 14 days of the start of your contract.

You might be able to claim money from your landlord if they don’t give you the written statement in time. You can check how to claim compensation from your landlord.

Check the new rules about eviction notices 

Your landlord can't give you a ‘no fault’ eviction notice if they didn’t give you the written statement when they should have.

You’ll have more protection if your landlord tries to evict you because you asked for repairs. You can check what to do if you're being evicted because you asked for repairs.

If you rent from a private landlord

Your landlord can't evict you during the first 6 months of your contract.

After 6 months, they can evict you - they'll have to give you notice if they want you to move out.

If you had a tenancy that automatically became a contract, they usually have to give you 2 months' notice.

If you started renting on or after 1 December 2022, your landlord has to give you 6 months’ notice.

There are 2 main types of eviction notices: 'no fault' notices and 'with grounds' notices.

You can:

• check what to do if you get a no fault eviction notice

• check what to do if you get a with grounds notice

Check what your landlord has to do to make your home safe to live in

Your landlord has to make sure your home is safe to live in and meet some new safety standards. This includes fitting smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and testing the electrical safety at least every 5 years.

Check who you can pass your contract onto if you die

If you rent from a council or housing association, your partner or a family member can take over your contract if you die.

Under the new rules, if that person dies, another family member or a carer can take over the contract. This means you can pass your contract on twice, instead of just once.

You can check who you can pass your contract onto if you die.

Check how to add or remove people from your joint contract 

You need your landlord’s permission to make any changes to who’s on the contract.

If you have a joint contract and you want to move out but the other person wants to stay, you can ‘withdraw’ from your contract. This means you don’t have to end your contract. The other person can stay on their own or someone else can take your place.

If you want someone to move in, you can add them to your contract - you don’t need to start a new one.

If another joint contract holder is being evicted for anti-social behaviour, you can stay on your own or someone else can take their place.

You can check what to do to change or end your joint contract.

Find out more about the changes

You can find more detail about how renting has changed on the Welsh government website.

You can find an Easy Read document about how renting has changed on the Welsh government website.