Welsh government plans stronger tenant rights

The Welsh government is preparing legislation to strengthen the rights of private tenants, with further restrictions on no-fault evictions expected later in the Senedd term.

First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth included the proposed bill in the first phase of the government’s new legislative programme, outlined in a statement to the Senedd.

The initial legislation will focus on improving protections for people living in privately rented homes.

More substantial housing reforms are then planned during the four-year Senedd term.

Strengthen tenant rights

Mr ap Iorwerth said: “The value my government places on fairness has motivated us to take action to strengthen the rights of tenants in the private rented sector.

“We want to protect and enhance Wales’s unique sense of community.”

He added: “We will proceed with the development of a community right-to-buy scheme and provide the legislative basis to enable eligible community groups to nominate and register valuable community assets and be given the right of first refusal when the owners decide to sell.

“This is a far-reaching and ambitious programme that reflects our core values as a government, for the benefit of all the communities of Wales.”

Ban no-fault evictions

The substantial housing reforms are expected to include measures intended to improve housing affordability, make rents fairer and restrict the use of no-fault evictions by private landlords.

The Welsh government is also developing proposals for a legal right to adequate housing, which would place its wider housing ambitions on a statutory footing.

A separate Community Right to Buy bill will allow eligible local groups to identify and register assets considered valuable to their area.

Where the owner of a registered asset decides to sell, the community would be given first refusal.

The announcement does not set out which properties would qualify or how the purchase process would operate.

Further legislation will introduce what the government calls rural proofing, requiring the needs of rural communities to be considered when policies are developed.