The Renting Homes (Fees etc) (Wales) Act 2019 (“RHFWA 2019”) 2019 prohibits landlords and letting agents from requiring certain types of payments under, or as a condition of entry into, a letting arrangement.
The majority of the provisions of the RHFWA 2019 came into force on 1 September 2019 and to summarise the RHFWA 2019 will :-
- Prohibit landlords and letting agents from requiring certain payments under or in connection with a standard occupation contract.
- Restricts the amount that can be taken as a holding deposit and sets a timetable for dealing with repayment.
- Allow the Welsh Government to publish regulations to set limits on security deposits and payments made in the event of default.
- Prohibit landlords and letting agents from requiring entry into a contract for services, or the grant of a loan, in connection with a standard occupation contract (subject to certain exceptions).
- Imposes criminal sanctions for non-compliance.
- Prevents a landlord who is in breach of any of its requirements from seeking possession of the property under one of the “no-fault” grounds in the RHWA 2016.
