On Sunday, 1 September the Renting Homes (fees etc) (Wales) Act came into force.
This means that landlords and agents with properties in Wales will no longer be able to charge fees for new tenancies or renewals.
Our previous post on the Act can be read here. This Act is similar to the Tenant Fees Act which is in force in England however there are some differences which should not be overlooked. Permitted payments in Wales include:
- Rent
- Security Deposits
- Holding Deposits (Refundable and limited to one week’s rent)
- Late payment of rent and breach of tenancy fee
- Council Tax
- Utilities
- TV Licence
Those that breach the Act could face a fixed penalty notice of £1000 or prosecution and if convicted an unlimited fine. Landlords and agents could also be subject to a repayment order and will not be able to issue a s.21 notice if they have failed to pay back monies owed to the tenant under this Act.
As stated previously, there is no statutory guidance to this Act however, the guidance that does exist goes some way to making things clear for parties and should certainly be read by those in the private rental sector.
Published 5 September 2019
