Agents can access new model Occupation Contracts ahead of Welsh renting law change

Agents can access new model Occupation Contracts ahead of Welsh renting law change

8:05 AM, 29th November 2022, About A year ago 1

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One organisation is providing its letting agent members with access to new model Occupation Contracts ahead of the introduction of the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016.

That’s when agents, landlords and tenants will see the biggest change to Welsh housing law for decades.

It is almost seven years since the Act gained Royal Assent and it will be implemented on 1 December 2022, bringing in significant changes to the way homes are rented, managed and lived in.

Now Propertymark is offering six model Occupation Contracts to its depending on the deposit scheme being used and whether they are being used to convert existing contracts into fixed-term or periodic contracts.

Contracts have been reviewed by Rent Smart Wales

The contracts have been written by Dutton Gregory Solicitors which runs the ARLA Propertymark legal helpline and can be used by agents with added confidence as they have been reviewed by Rent Smart Wales, the body that will ensure compliance with the new legislation.

Propertymark’s policy team has also produced a series of downloadable factsheets that will explain all the changes the Renting Homes (Wales) Act will introduce.

Topics covered include the new Occupation Contracts; Written Statements; succession rights; joint contracts and joint landlords; ending a contract; Fitness of Homes for Human Habitation and repair obligations; break clauses; retaliatory evictions.

As part of the ongoing support it has been providing to members and non-members, there’s also a recording of a webinar that was hosted with Simon White, the head of housing strategy for the Welsh Government, and who is in charge of implementing the changes.

‘It is essential agents understand the impact’

Tim Thomas, Propertymark’s policy and campaigns officer, said: “The Renting Homes (Wales) Act updates and brings together a number of complex pieces of legislation into a single framework and it is essential agents understand the impact themselves and help their landlords to do so too.

“One of the key elements is the new Occupation Contracts.

“They are crucial to ensuring agents comply with the new legislation and the different versions we are making available to all of our members can be used with the additional confidence of having been reviewed by Rent Smart Wales.”

The model Occupation Contracts can be downloaded by members along with the other resources from Propertymark’s dedicated Renting Homes (Wales) Act website page.


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Comments

Chris Bradley

17:09 PM, 29th November 2022, About A year ago

While I need to write to my tenants and provide a new occupation contract within six months, I had to cry at my elderly cousins response to the councils letter about his tenancy agreement changing. I quote
" The council have made a mistake, this letter can't be for me, or are they saying that to stay in my home I must have an occupation contract, I am retired I am too old to work will I have to leave my home if I don't have an occupation contract"
I think someone should have thought about the impact of the change of terms, tenancy is well known and understood.
How many elderly are going to worry that they will lose their home if they don't have an occupation.

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