Renting Homes (Wales) Act Occupation Contracts

MPs completed the final parliamentary stage of the Bill on Wednesday, 22 October 2025, leaving only the rubber stamp of Royal Assent before it becomes the Renters’ Rights Act 2025. Implementation will be staged via secondary legislation; no dates have been confirmed, but the UK Government will allow time for a smooth transition and engage the sector on commencement dates. Propertymark has hit the ground running, with training, events, and downloadable resources to support the sector through the most significant transition in private renting for a generation.

The Welsh Government’s long-awaited evaluation of the licensing and registration body has been published, revealing both progress and persistent gaps in effectiveness – including a notable proportion of unregistered or unlicensed landlords. Propertymark welcomes this renewed scrutiny that aligns with our consistent call for increased transparency, more robust enforcement, and improvement of engagement with property professionals and tenants.

The Welsh Government has confirmed it will not proceed with proposals that would have required landlords to pay tenants compensation when issuing a Section 173 possession notice. The decision follows extensive consultation and lobbying from Propertymark and other sector stakeholders, who welcomed the move as a win for common sense and fair reform.

One of the key themes of the White Paper is the Welsh Government’s commitment to achieving housing adequacy — a concept that includes affordability, security, and access to quality housing. While Propertymark agrees with this goal and supports enshrining housing adequacy as a human right in Welsh law, we have urged policymakers to focus on pro-growth policies rather than introducing restrictions that will force landlords out of the market.