Marking 100 days since the “biggest shake up” in Welsh housing law, Propertymark believes the new regulations will become easier to navigate following concerns and confusion among landlords.

The Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 made several key changes to housing law in Wales, and now works alongside the Renting Homes (Fees etc.) (Wales) Act 2019.

Bringing both the social and private rented sector (PRS) under one single piece of legal framework, the changes to the PRS include higher standards for properties such as obligations to keep homes in a state of good repair and fit for human habitation as well as more rights for tenants regarding break clauses, joint contracts and ‘no fault’ notices.

Propertymark said that the act has caused some confusion among agents and has been overwhelming for some landlords within the sector.

“Whilst on the face of things, it seems a lot to take in initially given the number of areas covered within the legislation, it’s important to remember that many of these requirements were already asked of landlords, and the main change now is that it all sits under one umbrella,” said Tim Thomas, policy and campaigns officer at Propertymark.

“A prominent area of contention was the requirement for the address of a landlord to be displayed within a tenancy agreement. It appeared that they had to provide their own address and it caused a lot of confusion and questions for those who have fully managed properties by an agency,” he added.

However, after raising the issue with the Welsh government, Propertymark received clarity that if a property is fully managed, this can state the agency’s address rather than the landlords direct address, under the landlord’s discretion, Thomas explained.

Propertymark said it continues to engage with the Welsh government to address underlying questions and concerns from its member agents.

“It remains to be seen if the changes across Wales will impact the supply of rented property and potentially change the types of landlords willing to invest,” said Thomas.

“With all changes, opportunity is there for the taking. Good, reputable agents who fully manage properties and are well-versed in ensuring all requirements are adhered to will be vital to making investment for landlords stress free.”