Landlords have until 1st June to comply with the new and relatively convoluted Rented Homes Wales legislation following its introduction last December.

Under the new law, standard contracts have replaced assured shorthold tenancies and secure contracts have replaced secure and assured tenancies, which were used mainly in the social rented sector.

Existing tenancy agreements automatically converted to one of these occupation contracts.

This means written statements must be given to tenants by 1st June, so landlords should consider which of the existing terms from the previous contract are to be carried across.

For new contracts that started on or after 1st December, written statements must be given within 14 days of the occupation date. These can be issued as a hard copy or electronically.

Model contract

For new contracts, a landlord could use the appropriate model written statement published on the Welsh government website - Renting homes: model written statements | GOV.WALES - without making any changes or they could include their own additional terms (such as a pet clause) as long as these do not conflict with a key matter, a fundamental or supplementary term, and are fair under consumer protection law.

Landlords will still be able to issue a no-fault notice to end a periodic standard contract under section 173 of the new law.

For contracts signed before 1st December, a two-month no-fault notice period will initially continue to apply. However, this notice period will increase to six months, from 1st June. A six-month no-fault notice period applies to all periodic standard occupation contracts which began on or after 1st December.

Read more about Welsh reforms