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Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016

Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016

2016 c.1 · 263 provisions

An Act of the National Assembly for Wales to make provision about tenancies and licences which confer the right to occupy a dwelling as a home, including provision establishing two kinds of contract for the purpose of renting homes; and for connected purposes.

Part 1: OVERVIEW OF ACT

Section 1: Occupation contracts
Section 2: Kinds of landlord
Section 3: Fundamental provisions and supplementary provisions of occupation contracts
Section 4: Identifying provisions of this Act which are fundamental provisions
Section 5: Overview of Parts 3 to 9: operation and termination of occupation contracts
Section 6: Overview of Parts 10 and 11: general provision

Part 2: OCCUPATION CONTRACTS AND LANDLORDS

CHAPTER 1: OCCUPATION CONTRACTS

Section 7: Tenancies and licences that are occupation contracts
Section 8: Secure contracts and standard contracts

CHAPTER 2: NATURE OF CONTRACTS WHICH CAN BE MADE ETC. BY COMMUNITY LANDLORDS AND PRIVATE LANDLORDS

Section 9: Community landlords
Section 10: Private landlords
Section 11: Contract made with community landlord
Section 12: Contract adopted by community landlord
Section 13: Notice of standard contract
Section 14: Review of notice
Section 15: Notice of right to decide to remain on a fixed term standard contract
Section 16: Introductory standard contracts
Section 17: Contract made with or adopted by private landlord

CHAPTER 3: FUNDAMENTAL PROVISIONS OF OCCUPATION CONTRACTS

Section 18: Fundamental provisions
Section 19: Fundamental terms and fundamental provisions: definitions
Section 20: Incorporation and modification of fundamental provisions
Section 21: Effect of non-incorporation and modification of fundamental provisions
Section 22: Powers in relation to fundamental provisions

CHAPTER 4: SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISIONS OF OCCUPATION CONTRACTS

Section 23: Supplementary provisions
Section 24: Incorporation and modification of supplementary provisions
Section 25: Effect of non-incorporation and modification of supplementary provisions

CHAPTER 5: KEY MATTERS AND ADDITIONAL TERMS OF OCCUPATION CONTRACTS

Section 26: Key matters of all occupation contracts
Section 27: Further key matters of standard contracts
Section 28: Additional terms

CHAPTER 6: MODEL CONTRACTS

Section 29: Model written statement of contract

Part 3: PROVISIONS APPLYING TO ALL OCCUPATION CONTRACTS

CHAPTER 1: OVERVIEW

Section 30: Overview of this Part

CHAPTER 2: PROVISION OF INFORMATION

Section 31: Written statement
Section 32: Contents of written statement
Section 33: Editorial changes
Section 34: Failure to provide a written statement etc.
Section 35: Failure to provide statement: compensation
Section 36: Incomplete statement
Section 37: Incorrect statement: contract-holder's application to court
Section 38: Incorrect statement: landlord's application to court for declaration that contract is a standard contract
Section 39: Provision by landlord of information about landlord
Section 40: Compensation for breach of section 39
Section 41: Form of notices etc.

CHAPTER 3: WHEN CONTRACT BECOMES ENFORCEABLE

Section 42: When terms of occupation contract become enforceable

CHAPTER 4: DEPOSITS AND DEPOSIT SCHEMES

Section 43: Form of security
Section 44: Form of security: county court proceedings
Section 45: Requirement to use deposit scheme
Section 46: Deposit schemes: further provision
Section 47: Deposit schemes: interpretation

CHAPTER 5: JOINT CONTRACT-HOLDERS AND JOINT LANDLORDS

Section 48: Joint contract-holders: joint liability etc.
Section 49: Adding a joint contract-holder
Section 50: Adding a joint contract-holder: landlord's consent
Section 51: Adding a joint contract-holder: formalities
Section 52: Joint contract-holder ceasing to be a party to the occupation contract
Section 53: Joint landlords

CHAPTER 6: RIGHT TO OCCUPY WITHOUT INTERFERENCE

Section 54: Right to occupy without interference from landlord

CHAPTER 7: ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR AND OTHER PROHIBITED CONDUCT

Section 55: Anti-social behaviour and other prohibited conduct
Section 56: Power to amend section 55

CHAPTER 8: DEALING

Section 57: Permissible forms of dealing
Section 58: Dealing and landlord's consent
Section 59: Sub-occupation contracts: interpretation
Section 60: Sub-occupation contract never takes effect as transfer
Section 61: Failure to comply with conditions imposed by head landlord
Section 62: End of head contract
Section 63: End of head contract: further provision
Section 64: Possession claim against contract-holder where there is a sub-holder
Section 65: Extended possession order against sub-holder
Section 66: Exclusion of contract-holder after abandoning contracts
Section 67: Excluded contract-holder's remedies
Section 68: Power to vary periods of time relating to exclusion after abandonment of contracts
Section 69: Form of transfer
Section 70: Effect of authorised transfer
Section 71: Effect of unauthorised transfer
Section 72: Deeds and covenants
Section 73: Succession on death
Section 74: Persons qualified to succeed
Section 75: Priority successor
Section 76: Reserve successor: family member
Section 77: Reserve successor: carer
Section 78: More than one qualified successor
Section 79: Effect of succession
Section 80: Substitute succession on early termination
Section 81: Effect of substitute succession
Section 82: Notice of rights under section 80
Section 83: Succession: interpretation

CHAPTER 9: LANDLORD'S CONSENT

Section 84: Landlord's consent: reasonableness
Section 85: Application to court relating to consent
Section 86: Landlord's consent: timing

CHAPTER 10: COMPENSATION

Section 87: Compensation for failures relating to provision of written statements etc.
Section 88: Right of set off

Part 4: CONDITION OF DWELLING

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTORY

Section 89: Application of Part
Section 90: Fixed term standard contracts: determining the length of term

CHAPTER 2: CONDITION OF DWELLING(THIS CHAPTER APPLIES TO ALL SECURE CONTRACTS, ALL PERIODIC STANDARD CONTRACTS, AND ALL FIXED TERM STANDARD CONTRACTS MADE FOR A TERM OF LESS THAN SEVEN YEARS)

Section 91: Landlord's obligation: fitness for human habitation
Section 92: Landlord's obligation to keep dwelling in repair
Section 93: Obligations under sections 91 and 92: supplementary
Section 94: Determination of fitness for human habitation
Section 95: Limits on sections 91 and 92: general
Section 96: Limits on sections 91 and 92: contract-holder's fault
Section 97: Limits on sections 91 and 92: notice
Section 98: Landlord's right to access dwelling
Section 99: Rights of permitted occupiers to enforce Chapter

CHAPTER 3: MISCELLANEOUS(THIS CHAPTER APPLIES TO ALL OCCUPATION CONTRACTS)

Section 100: Specific performance
Section 101: Waste and tenant-like user

Part 5: PROVISIONS APPLYING ONLY TO SECURE CONTRACTS

CHAPTER 1: OVERVIEW

Section 102: Overview of Part

CHAPTER 2: VARIATION OF CONTRACTS

Section 103: Variation
Section 104: Variation of rent
Section 105: Variation of other consideration
Section 106: Variation of fundamental terms
Section 107: Variation of supplementary and additional terms
Section 108: Limitation on variation
Section 109: Written statement of variation
Section 110: Failure to provide written statement etc.

CHAPTER 3: JOINT CONTRACT-HOLDERS: WITHDRAWAL

Section 111: Withdrawal
Section 112: Withdrawal: power to prescribe time limits

CHAPTER 4: DEALING

Section 113: Lodgers
Section 114: Transfer to potential successor
Section 115: Transfer to a potential successor: landlord's consent

CHAPTER 5: PROHIBITED CONDUCT STANDARD CONTRACTS

Section 116: Order imposing periodic standard contract because of prohibited conduct
Section 117: Conversion to secure contract

CHAPTER 6: PROVISIONS APPLYING ONLY TO SECURE CONTRACTS WITH COMMUNITY LANDLORDS

Section 118: Transfer to another secure contract-holder
Section 119: Transfer to another secure contract-holder: landlord's consent

Part 6: PROVISIONS APPLYING ONLY TO PERIODIC STANDARD CONTRACTS

CHAPTER 1: OVERVIEW

Section 120: Overview of Part

CHAPTER 2: EXCLUSION FOR SPECIFIED PERIODS

Section 121: Exclusion of contract-holder from dwelling for specified periods

CHAPTER 3: VARIATION OF CONTRACTS

Section 122: Variation
Section 123: Variation of rent
Section 124: Variation of other consideration
Section 125: Variation of other terms
Section 126: Variation by landlord of other terms: notice procedure
Section 127: Limitation on variation
Section 128: Written statement of variation
Section 129: Failure to provide written statement etc.

CHAPTER 4: JOINT CONTRACT-HOLDERS: WITHDRAWAL

Section 130: Withdrawal
Section 131: Withdrawal: power to prescribe time limits

Part 7: PROVISIONS APPLYING ONLY TO FIXED TERM STANDARD CONTRACTS

CHAPTER 1: OVERVIEW

Section 132: Overview of Part

CHAPTER 2: EXCLUSION FOR SPECIFIED PERIODS

Section 133: Exclusion of contract-holder from dwelling for specified periods

CHAPTER 3: VARIATION OF CONTRACTS

Section 134: Variation
Section 135: Limitation on variation
Section 136: Written statement of variation
Section 137: Failure to provide written statement etc.

CHAPTER 4: JOINT CONTRACT-HOLDERS: WITHDRAWAL

Section 138: Withdrawal of joint contract-holder using contract-holder's break clause

CHAPTER 5: DEALING: TRANSFERS

Section 139: Transfer on death of sole contract-holder
Section 140: Forced transfers
Section 141: Joint contract-holder's interest
Section 142: Transfer on death of joint contract-holder

Part 8: SUPPORTED STANDARD CONTRACTS

Section 143: Supported standard contract and supported accommodation
Section 144: Mobility
Section 145: Temporary exclusion
Section 146: Temporary exclusion: guidance

Part 9: TERMINATION ETC. OF OCCUPATION CONTRACTS

CHAPTER 1: OVERVIEW AND INTRODUCTORY PROVISIONS

Section 147: Overview of Part
Section 148: Permissible termination etc.
Section 149: Possession claims
Section 150: Possession notices
Section 151: Introductory standard contracts and prohibited conduct standard contracts: notices under sections 173 and 181

CHAPTER 2: TERMINATION ETC. WITHOUT A POSSESSION CLAIM(THIS CHAPTER APPLIES TO ALL OCCUPATION CONTRACTS)

Section 152: Early termination by contract-holder
Section 153: Termination by agreement
Section 154: Repudiatory breach by landlord
Section 155: Death of sole contract-holder
Section 156: Death of landlord where occupation contract is a licence

CHAPTER 3: TERMINATION OF ALL OCCUPATION CONTRACTS (POSSESSION CLAIMS BY LANDLORDS)

Section 157: Breach of contract
Section 158: False statement inducing landlord to make contract to be treated as breach of contract
Section 159: Restrictions on section 157
Section 160: Estate management grounds
Section 161: Restrictions on section 160
Section 162: Estate management grounds: redevelopment schemes

CHAPTER 4: TERMINATION OF SECURE CONTRACTS (CONTRACT-HOLDER'S NOTICE)

Section 163: Contract-holder's notice
Section 164: Minimum notice period
Section 165: Recovery of possession
Section 166: Restrictions on section 165
Section 167: Termination of contract on contract-holder's notice

CHAPTER 5: TERMINATION OF PERIODIC STANDARD CONTRACTS

Section 168: Contract-holder's notice
Section 169: Minimum notice period
Section 170: Recovery of possession
Section 171: Restrictions on section 170
Section 172: Termination of contract on contract-holder's notice
Section 173: Landlord's notice
Section 174: Minimum notice period
Section 174A: Minimum notice period: periodic standard contracts within Schedule 8A
Section 175: Restriction on section 173: notice may not be given until after the first six months of occupation
Section 176: Restrictions on giving notice under section 173: breaches of statutory obligations
Section 177: Restrictions on giving further notices under section 173
Section 177A: Restriction on giving notice under section 173 following retaliatory possession claim
Section 178: Recovery of possession
Section 179: Restriction on section 178
Section 180: Termination of contract on landlord's notice
Section 181: Serious rent arrears
Section 182: Restrictions on section 181
Section 183: Relevance of events under fixed term standard contract

CHAPTER 6: FIXED TERM STANDARD CONTRACTS: END OF THE FIXED TERM

Section 184: End of fixed term
Section 185: Written statement may address periodic standard contract arising under section 184(2)

CHAPTER 7: TERMINATION OF FIXED TERM STANDARD CONTRACTS

Section 186: Landlord's notice in connection with end of term of contract within Schedule 9B
Section 186A: Restrictions on giving notice under section 186: breaches of statutory obligations
Section 187: Serious rent arrears
Section 188: Restrictions on section 187
Section 189: Contract-holder's break clause
Section 190: Minimum notice period
Section 191: Recovery of possession
Section 192: Restrictions on section 191
Section 193: Termination of contract under contract-holder's break clause
Section 194: Landlord's break clause
Section 195: Minimum notice period
Section 195A: Minimum notice period: fixed term standard contracts within Schedule 8A
Section 196: Restriction on use of landlord's break clause until after the first 18 months of occupation
Section 197: Restrictions on use of landlord's break clause: breaches of statutory obligations
Section 198: Restriction on use of landlord's break clause following retaliatory possession claim
Section 199: Recovery of possession
Section 200: Restriction on section 199
Section 201: Termination of contract under landlord's break clause

CHAPTER 8: REVIEW BY LANDLORD OF DECISION TO GIVE NOTICE REQUIRING POSSESSION(THIS CHAPTER APPLIES ONLY TO INTRODUCTORY STANDARD CONTRACTS AND PROHIBITED CONDUCT STANDARD CONTRACTS)

Section 202: Review of decision to terminate introductory standard contract or prohibited conduct standard contract
Section 203: Landlord's review of decision to give a notice

CHAPTER 9: POSSESSION CLAIMS: POWERS OF COURT(THIS CHAPTER APPLIES TO ALL OCCUPATION CONTRACTS)

Section 204: Possession claims
Section 205: Orders for possession
Section 206: Effect of order for possession
Section 207: Participation in proceedings
Section 208: Misrepresentation or concealment of facts used to obtain order for possession

CHAPTER 10: POSSESSION CLAIMS: POWERS OF COURT IN RELATION TO DISCRETIONARY GROUNDS(THIS CHAPTER APPLIES TO ALL OCCUPATION CONTRACTS)

Section 209: Breach of contract ground
Section 210: Estate management grounds
Section 211: Powers to adjourn proceedings and postpone giving up of possession

CHAPTER 11: POSSESSION CLAIMS: POWERS OF COURT IN RELATION TO ABSOLUTE GROUNDS(THIS CHAPTER APPLIES ONLY TO SECURE CONTRACTS)

Section 212: Contract-holder's notice ground
Section 213: Review of claim made on absolute ground
Section 214: Powers to postpone giving up of possession

CHAPTER 12: POSSESSION CLAIMS: POWERS OF COURT IN RELATION TO ABSOLUTE GROUNDS(THIS CHAPTER APPLIES ONLY TO STANDARD CONTRACTS)

Section 215: Notice grounds
Section 216: Serious rent arrears grounds
Section 217: Retaliatory possession claims to avoid obligations to repair etc.
Section 218: Review of claim made on absolute ground
Section 219: Powers to postpone giving up of possession

CHAPTER 13: ABANDONMENT(THIS CHAPTER APPLIES TO ALL OCCUPATION CONTRACTS)

Section 220: Possession of abandoned dwellings
Section 221: Disposal of property
Section 222: Contract-holder's remedies
Section 223: Power to vary periods of time relating to abandonment
Section 224: Rights of entry

CHAPTER 14: JOINT CONTRACT-HOLDERS: EXCLUSION AND TERMINATION(THIS CHAPTER APPLIES TO ALL OCCUPATION CONTRACTS)

Section 225: Non-occupation: exclusion by landlord
Section 226: Remedies for exclusion under section 225
Section 227: Non-occupation: exclusion by joint contract-holder
Section 228: Remedies for exclusion under section 227
Section 229: Power to vary periods of time relating to exclusion of joint contract-holder
Section 230: Prohibited conduct: exclusion by landlord
Section 231: Termination of occupation contract with joint contract-holders

CHAPTER 15: FORFEITURE AND NOTICES TO QUIT NOT AVAILABLE

Section 232: Forfeiture and notices to quit

Part 10: MISCELLANEOUS

CHAPTER 1: FURTHER PROVISIONS RELATING TO OCCUPATION CONTRACTS

Section 233: Effect of reaching 18
Section 234: Consultation arrangements
Section 235: Statement of consultation arrangements
Section 236: Form of notices, statements and other documents
Section 237: Giving notices, statements and other documents

CHAPTER 2: TRESPASSERS: IMPLIED TENANCIES AND LICENCES

Section 238: Implied tenancies and licences

CHAPTER 3: TENANCIES AND LICENCES EXISTING BEFORE COMMENCEMENT OF THIS CHAPTER

Section 239: Abolition of assured, secure and other tenancies
Section 239A: Power to make provision about certain tenancies and licences
Section 240: Conversion of tenancies and licences existing before commencement of Chapter
Section 241: Pre-existing contracts
Section 242: Interpretation of Chapter

Part 11: FINAL PROVISIONS

Section 243: Local authority and other authorities
Section 244: Landlord, lodger and permitted occupier
Section 245: Occupation date of an occupation contract
Section 246: Dwelling
Section 247: Meaning of "variation" of occupation contract
Section 248: The court
Section 249: Lease, tenancy and related expressions
Section 250: Members of a family
Section 251: Family property order
Section 252: Minor definitions
Section 253: Index of terms
Section 254: Crown application
Section 255: Power to make consequential and transitional provision etc.
Section 256: Regulations
Section 257: Coming into force
Section 258: Short title

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About this text

This legislation text comes from legislation.gov.uk. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Reuse reviewed 21 August 2026 under Open Government Licence v3.0.