The Renters' Rights Act: A 14-day deadline starts for landlords in Wales on 1st June

As you may already be aware, the Renters’ Rights Act came into force in England on 1st May 2026, introducing significant changes to housing law.

Landlords in Wales can breathe a sigh of relief as, unlike in England, the Renters’ Rights Act does not overhaul the private rental sector in Wales.

Instead, from 1st June 2026, it introduces two additional anti-discrimination provisions into the existing Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016. They relate to tenants in receipt of benefits and those with children.

A full write-up of what the changes mean is available on our website: What landlords in Wales need to know about discrimination changes

What action is required from landlords

To ensure they are informed of the new fundamental terms being incorporated into their Written Statement of Occupation Contract as a result of the amendments to the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016, landlords must - by 14th June 2026 - provide their contract-holder with either:

- an updated copy of the full Written Statement of terms, or

- a Statement of Variation explaining the changes.

In practice, many landlords will deem issuing a Statement of Variation to be the simpler and more practical approach as it requires only notification of the amendments, rather than the preparation of a complete updated Written Statement, but the decision is yours.

The exception to this is where you, or any superior landlord, took out an insurance policy before 1st June that prevents you from accepting tenants who receive benefits, or from allowing children to live at or visit the property. In these cases, the changes to your occupation contract will not apply until that existing insurance product comes to an end. Once it ends, you must do the above within 14 days.

If we manage your property

If we fully manage your property, there is nothing you need to do. We will ensure compliance on your behalf.

If we do not manage your property

If you self-manage your property, you will need to familiarise yourself with the new requirements and ensure that your processes and practices comply with the updated legislation within the relevant timeframe.

Take a look at Welsh Government's guidance for more information

Why this matters

Where a landlord fails to do as is required, the contract-holder may be entitled to compensation.

That compensation is calculated at one day’s rent for each day the landlord is in breach, up to a maximum of two months’ rent. It could be more if the failure is deemed deliberate. In some cases, a contract-holder may also seek to set that compensation off against rent.

For that reason, we would strongly encourage all landlords to deal with this promptly and keep clear evidence of service.

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26 May 2026

The information contained within this article was correct at the date of publishing and is not guaranteed to remain correct in the present day.

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