9:39 AM, 17th October 2022, About 3 years ago 6
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Last minute changes to the housing eviction law in Wales will see more landlords having to give their tenants six months’ notice.
That’s a change from the rules which enable a landlord to hand a tenant with a periodic tenancy just two months’ notice without giving a reason.
But now the Welsh Government has expanded the plans that are due to come into force on 1 December for new tenancies and will now affect more tenants.
The government has admitted that its plans had left many renters at risk of being handed a short notice period for years to come.
The new eviction extension will become law next June – six months after it affects new tenants – and will now include renters on ‘rolling tenancies’.
Ben Beadle, the chief executive of the National Residential Landlords Association, said: “With less than two months until the Renting Homes Wales Act is due to come into force, the Welsh Government continues to dither and second guess its own reforms, before they are even implemented.
“It is unsurprising that landlords struggle to have confidence in the new rules when ministers seem equally unsure about their ability to deliver.
“The Government’s stance towards its own new laws has been characterised by last minute changes and demonstrate a flagrant disregard for landlords, and the role they can play in delivering a private rented sector which works in the interests of all.”
He added: “The Welsh Government needs to concentrate on how it can work with landlords to solve the supply crisis which continues to negatively impact the PRS.
“It needs to listen to the sector, make a sensible decision and stick to it.”
However, one charity has expressed its fears that the delay in introducing extended notice periods could see a ‘wave of evictions’ from private rental homes.
Shelter Cymru says that the law for new tenants should be the same as for those on a rolling contract.
They say it can be difficult for a tenant who has an eviction notice to find a new home.
The new law is part of the delayed Renting Homes regulation that gives tenants a minimum of one year to live in their rental property. Landlords with a new tenancy would have to wait six months before they can hand the tenant an eviction notice and that would be for another six months.
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Lee Bailey
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Member Since February 2016 - Comments: 45
11:50 AM, 17th October 2022, About 3 years ago
Nothing than a knee jerk response to the lack of rental properties due to previous ill thought out policies causing landlords to sell up. (Section 24, EPC threats and much more.
Paul Essex
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Member Since June 2019 - Comments: 712
12:28 PM, 17th October 2022, About 3 years ago
I am no longer surprised when laws are applied retrospectively. Time and time again we are told that legislation will only apply to new contracts for the small print to then add all contracts in x months time even if we would never had entertained a tenancy under the new rules.
Beaver
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Member Since May 2018 - Comments: 1963
14:39 PM, 17th October 2022, About 3 years ago
I don’t have a big problem in principle with giving tenants six months’ notice to quit provided that they are paying the rent on time in full, looking after the property and getting on with the neighbours. But if you have to give a tenant a year whether anybody needs it or not does it mean that if you only have a property available for e.g. 6 months then you are not going to let it out?
I’ve let to people who only needed to rent the property for a few months because their properties had been damaged by flooding and they just needed accommodation whilst the repairs were being done. Flooding is an issue in parts of Wales. Supposing your tenant only needs 4-6 months? How is that to be dealt with?
Reluctant Landlord
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Member Since September 2018 - Comments: 3441 - Articles: 5
16:05 PM, 17th October 2022, About 3 years ago
Reply to the comment left by Beaver at 17/10/2022 – 14:39
I suppose include big bloody print at the start that it is for a fixed term only of 4 months (or whatever the term agreed is?). Just because you may have to ‘offer a year; does not mean the tenant has to agree to this if they dont want to.
What about getting a tenant to sign this in front of a solicitor too so all parties are clear on this before the contract comes into effect?
Write to your MP and simply ask this exact question.
its madness!
Chris Bradley
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Member Since December 2019 - Comments: 240
17:39 PM, 17th October 2022, About 3 years ago
The idea of having a fixed term of 4 months doesn’t remove the need for 6months notice not served in the first 6 months,.no matter how many solicitors witness it.
If the tenant leaves voluntarily after 4 months then all good, but if they don’t, be prepared to not have it back for a least 12 months from start of tenancy maybe an extra 8 months on top if they fight the eviction
Mr.A
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Member Since September 2022 - Comments: 149
19:08 PM, 17th October 2022, About 3 years ago
It doesn’t matter what you put in the contract and witnessed by whoever ,if its contradictory to the rules it will be void ,as in Scotland already …..
We cannot give an eviction notice no matter what in the first 6 months unless it breaks a government applied condition.
Even if you let it out for 1 month ,you’ll potentially lose control of your asset for a year …
Pure lunacy