June 2026 change, anti-discrimination provisions now apply in Wales.
The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 (Royal Assent 27 October 2025) extended anti-discrimination protections to Wales. Since 1 June 2026, two fundamental provisions are in force as sections 54A and 54B of the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016, with corresponding fundamental terms 14A and 14B added to standard occupation contracts.
The commencement instrument is the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 (Commencement) (Wales) Order 2026 (WSI 2026/6). The fundamental-term amendments to model written statements are made by the Renting Homes (Model Written Statements of Contract) (Wales) (Amendments etc.) Regulations 2026.
Existing standard occupation contracts had to be brought into line by 14 June 2026 , via either an updated written statement of the contract or a written notice of variation. That deadline has passed: if any of your contracts did not receive the variation, serve it now and keep proof of service, late compliance is far better than none.
The Welsh Government provides a model variation notice (Appendix A of its guidance, free at gov.wales). LetSafe UK’s Welsh Landlord Starter Pack (LS-W-100, £49) includes the operational wrapper, covering letter, service log, proof-of-service templates, and a plain-English contract-holder explainer. Failure to have served by 14 June 2026 can give rise to contract-holder compensation claims, and acting in breach of the new fundamental terms (refusing on benefits or family grounds) is a criminal offence under sections 8A-8J of the Renting Homes (Fees etc.) (Wales) Act 2019.
Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016
Wales
WalesWales has its own regime, occupation contracts, contract-holders, and its own notice periods. Every template uses the Welsh Government's fundamental terms and the correct statutory language.
The Welsh regime has been fully operational for 3+ years. The terminology is different from England: 'contract-holder' (not tenant), 'occupation contract' (not tenancy), 'landlord break' (not Section 21).
- When1 Jun 2026Discrimination provisions
Sections 54A and 54B added to the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 by SI 2026 No. 6. New fundamental terms must be served on every existing contract-holder by 14 June 2026.
- When1 Dec 2022Act commenced
Full transition from the old Housing Act 1988 regime. All pre-existing tenancies converted to occupation contracts on commencement day.
- WhenIn forceFitness for Human Habitation
29 matters the landlord must address before and during occupation, see our Welsh Landlord Starter Pack for the checklist.
Welsh Landlord Starter Pack
Every Welsh landlord essential in one bundle. LS-W-001 in this pack is the version drafted to incorporate the June 2026 Welsh fundamental-term amendments, for new contracts granted on or after 1 June 2026. Includes the LS-W-130 Welsh Variation Pack.
What changes in Wales
Standard occupation contracts
Replaces ASTs. The written statement of terms must be given within 14 days of occupation, our template is drafted directly against the Welsh Government model.
Section 173 landlord-break
Welsh equivalent of no-fault possession, but with a minimum 6 months' notice on periodic contracts and a 12-month occupation minimum.
Rent Smart Wales
Landlords must be registered and licensed with Rent Smart Wales (or appoint a licensed managing agent) before letting. We link to the official registration route, it's not something we can do for you.
Your obligations in Wales at a glance
Must do
- ✓ Issue the written statement of the occupation contract within 14 days of occupation
- ✓ Register (and if self-managing, licence) with Rent Smart Wales
- ✓ Protect the deposit under one of the three approved schemes within 30 days
- ✓ Serve a Fitness for Human Habitation compliant property
- ✓ Give at least 6 months' notice on any section 173 landlord-break after month 12
- ✓ Check the June 2026 variation was served: every standard occupation contract in existence on 1 June 2026 should have received the WG variation notice (terms 14A/14B) by 14 June 2026, if you missed it, serve it now and keep proof of service
Don't do
- ✗ Use the English 'AST' terminology, the legal construct doesn't exist in Wales
- ✗ Serve a section 173 before the 12-month minimum occupation window has elapsed
- ✗ Charge a prohibited payment (only rent, a refundable deposit and narrow permitted payments; note Wales has no statutory cap on deposit amount, the 5-week cap is England-only)
- ✗ Let a property without Rent Smart Wales registration
- ✗ Increase rent more than once in a rolling 12-month period, and always use the section 123 rent variation notice (form RHW12) with at least 2 months' notice
- ✗ Refuse a contract-holder solely because they are a benefits claimant or have dependent children (new fundamental terms 54A/54B from 1 June 2026)
Wales templates
Shop all Wales →Tenancy agreements
Standard Occupation Contract
The default written statement for a NEW Welsh occupation contract granted on or after 1 June 2026. Includes the two new fundamental terms on discrimination (benefits + dependent children) adopted by the Welsh Government in June 2026. Every Schedule 4 fundamental term embedded, supplementary terms customisable, and the 14-day service deadline flagged on the cover page.
Guarantor Deed (UK-wide)
A UK-wide guarantor deed: the guarantor guarantees the tenant's rent and obligations, as a continuing guarantee executed as a deed. Works where England's guarantor agreement does not (Wales, Scotland, NI).
Notices
Rent Variation Notice (Wales)
Statutory notice of rent variation for a Welsh occupation contract. Two months' minimum notice, no more than once in any 12-month period, with the Residential Property Tribunal Wales referral pathway built in.
Section 173 Landlord-Break Notice (Wales)
The no-fault landlord-break notice for a Welsh periodic standard occupation contract. Six months' minimum notice, cannot be served in the first six months of occupation, must be brought to court within six months of expiry.
Section 157 Serious Breach Notice (Wales)
Possession notice for serious breach of an occupation contract. Used where the contract-holder has committed a serious breach or is responsible for serious rent arrears, and the landlord seeks immediate possession proceedings.
Compliance
Landlord Portfolio Tracker
Your whole rental portfolio in one Excel file. Rent, certificates, expenses, tenancy expiries, tracked with traffic-light reminders that work the day you open it. Up to 10 properties, jurisdiction-aware across all four UK nations.
Welsh Landlord Compliance Pack
Everything a Welsh landlord needs to evidence compliance under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016, where residential lettings are occupation contracts rather than ASTs. The pack maps your duties under the Act and the Fitness for Human Habitation (Wales) Regs 2022, and gives you the deposit-protection and condition records that protect you at the end of the contract.
Tenant Privacy Notice (UK GDPR)
The privacy notice every landlord must give tenants: what data you hold, your lawful basis, who you share it with, how long you keep it, and tenants' rights.
Property Inspection Pack
Run mid-tenancy inspections properly: a 24-hour inspection notice, a room-by-room inspection report, and a follow-up letter.
Deed of Surrender
End a tenancy early by mutual agreement, cleanly and bindingly, as a witnessed deed that releases both parties from future obligations.
Rent Statement & Record
A running rent ledger plus a cash receipt: clear evidence of what has been paid and any balance, useful for disputes, benefits and references.
FAQ, Wales
Does the Renters' Rights Act apply in Wales?
Not directly, the RRA is an England-only statute. But the Welsh Government has adopted the discrimination provisions of the RRA into Welsh law by amending the fundamental terms of occupation contracts. Two new fundamental terms (anti-discrimination on benefits, anti-discrimination on families with children) must be served on every existing contract-holder between 1 and 14 June 2026 via the free WG variation document. The rest of the RRA, the new Periodic Assured Tenancy, the abolition of Section 21, the new Section 8 grounds, does not apply in Wales. Wales remains on the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016. Read the full guide at /guides/welsh-occupation-contract-variation-june-2026.
Why is everything called 'occupation contract' and 'contract-holder'?
The 2016 Act deliberately replaced the English terminology. 'Contract-holder' replaces 'tenant' and 'licensee'; 'occupation contract' replaces 'tenancy'. The terminology change is not cosmetic, the statutory rights and duties differ from the English regime.
Can I still evict a contract-holder without fault?
Yes, Wales did not abolish no-fault possession. A Section 173 notice on a new periodic standard contract requires a minimum six months' notice and cannot be served within the first six months of occupation. The combined effect is that a contract-holder has at least 12 months' security from the start of the contract. The notice cannot be served during a fixed term unless a valid landlord break clause exists (and break clauses are only permitted on fixed terms of more than two years, may not be activated before month 18, and still require six months' notice). For converted contracts (tenancies in existence on 1 December 2022) transitional rules differ, see our converted-contract guidance.
Do I need to register with Rent Smart Wales?
Yes. Every Welsh landlord must register. If you self-manage, you must also hold a licence. You can appoint a licensed agent instead. Registration is done at rentsmart.gov.wales, we can't do it for you.
What is the deposit cap in Wales?
There is no statutory cap on deposit amount in Wales. The Tenant Fees Act 2019 (which caps deposits at 5 or 6 weeks' rent) applies in England only; the Renting Homes (Fees etc.) (Wales) Act 2019 contains a power to cap deposits, but it has not been used. Market practice in Wales is typically around 5 weeks' rent. The deposit must still be a permitted payment and must be protected in one of the three approved schemes, DPS, MyDeposits, TDS.
Can I mix English and Welsh documents?
Never. A Welsh property must be let on a Welsh occupation contract using Welsh statutory language. An English tenancy agreement signed for a property in Wales does not comply with the 2016 Act and may be unenforceable. That's why we do separate templates for each jurisdiction.
Wales landlord guides
See all guides →- Access to Neighbouring Land Act 1992, Landlord Guide
- Annexe Planning UK, Permission and Permitted Development
- Best Tenancy Agreement Template UK: A Buyer's Checklist
- CGT 60-Day Reporting UK 2026, Deadlines and Penalties
- Connected Party SDLT UK: Rates, Reliefs and HMRC Traps
- Deposit protection rules for UK landlords
- EICR Landlord Requirements UK, Electrical Reports
- EICR rules for landlords: the 5-yearly electrical check
- Employee Accommodation Tax UK, Benefit in Kind Rules
- EPC Landlord Guide, Certificate Requirements
- EPC Minimum C for Rented Properties, the 2030 Standard
- Eviction Notice Template UK: Which Notice Do You Need?
- Excluded Tenancies and Licences UK
- Free vs Paid Tenancy Agreement Templates
- Furnished vs Unfurnished Letting, Landlord Guide
- Furniture Fire Safety Regulations for Furnished Lets
- HMO Licensing Wales, Rent Smart Wales and Welsh Standards
- Landlord Deposit Return Guide UK
- Landlord PAT Testing Guide UK: Rules, Frequency and Records
- Landlord Self Assessment Tax Return 2025/26: Rental Income
- Leasehold Administration Charges, Schedule 11 CLRA 2002
- Leasehold Management Pack UK: LPE1 Form and Fees
- Lodger Agreement Guide UK, Resident Landlord Rights
- Loss of Rent Insurance Landlord UK, Cover Explained
Showing 24 of 45 Wales guides. Browse the full guides index →
Not in Wales?
Tenancy law is set at national level. Pick your jurisdiction to see the right documents.