Mike Hedges AM welcomes announcement that Welsh government proposes to end ‘no fault’ evictions
Speaking from his Swansea East Office, Mike
Hedges AM said…. ‘I greatly welcome this announcement by the Welsh Government.
People living in private sector rented accommodation often live with the threat
of receiving a 2 month notice to vacate the property which can cause
significant disruption to their family’s life.
People should be able to live with a degree of security, free from the
worry of an eviction notice from the landlord. Giving people a 6 month notice
period will give people greater security and time to find alternative
accommodation. It is a reform that is long overdue’
The Renting Homes (Amendment) (Wales) Bill and the accompanying Explanatory
Memorandum have today been introduced into the National Assembly.
The Bill will amend the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 (“the
2016 Act”) to provide greater security for people who rent their homes in
Wales. This will particularly affect those who live in the private rented
sector and occupy their homes under a ‘standard occupation contract’, the
equivalent to the current assured shorthold tenancy, after the 2016 Act comes
into force.
This additional security will primarily be achieved by extending
the minimum notice period for issuing a section 173 notice under the 2016 Act
(the equivalent of the current section 21 notice under the Housing Act 1988)
from two months to six months. Landlords will also be prevented from
issuing such a notice until at least six months from the date of occupancy,
meaning that those renting their home will have a minimum of 12 months security
of tenure from the outset of their contract (representing a doubling of the
current position). Further provisions will also ensure that landlords are
unable to issue rolling ‘speculative’ notices on a ‘just in case’ basis, which
can undermine the sense of security that those renting a home should be able to
enjoy.
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