Propertymark is providing letting agent members with access to new model Occupation Contracts to deal with today’s introduction of the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 — the biggest change to Welsh housing law for many decades.

Almost seven years since gaining Royal Assent, the Act comes into force today, bringing in significant changes to the way homes are rented, managed, and lived in that will have an impact on letting agents, landlords and tenants.

Six model Occupation Contracts are now available for Propertymark members depending on the deposit scheme being used and whether they are being used to convert existing contracts into fixed-term or periodic contracts.

They have been written by Dutton Gregory Solicitors, which runs the ARLA Propertymark legal helpline, and can be used by agents with added confidence as they have been reviewed by Rent Smart Wales, the body that will ensure compliance with the new legislation.

Propertymark’s policy team has also produced a series of downloadable factsheets that explain all the changes the Renting Homes (Wales) Act introduces.

Topics covered include the new Occupation Contracts; Written Statements; succession rights; joint contracts and joint landlords; ending a contract; Fitness of Homes for Human Habitation and repair obligations; break clauses; retaliatory evictions.

As part of the ongoing support it has been providing to members and non-members, a FREE webinar was hosted with Simon White, Head of Housing Strategy for the Welsh Government, who is in charge of implementing the changes. A recording is available as part of the online resources. Mr White was also a guest speaker at its Welsh National Conference in October.

Tim Thomas, Policy and Campaigns Officer at Propertymark, said:

“The Renting Homes (Wales) Act updates and brings together a number of complex pieces of legislation into a single framework and it is essential agents understand the impact themselves and help their landlords to do so too.

“One of the key elements is the new Occupation Contracts. They are crucial to ensuring agents comply with the new legislation and the different versions we are making available to all of our members can be used with the additional confidence of having been reviewed by Rent Smart Wales.”

The model Occupation Contracts can be downloaded by members along with the other resources from Propertymark’s dedicated Renting Homes (Wales) Act website page.