The Renting Homes (Fees etc) (Wales) Act 2019

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.