Friday 17 May 2019

Welsh Fee Ban Bill receives Royal Assent


A new law to ban letting fees in Wales has been given Royal Assent by Her Majesty the Queen.

At an official sealing ceremony held earlier this week, the Renting Homes (Fees etc.) (Wales) Bill became an Act of the Assembly.

From 1 September 2019, agents and landlords will no longer be able to charge fees to set up, renew or continue a standard occupation contract except those explicitly permitted by the Bill.

Standard occupation contracts will replace assured shorthold tenancies when the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 is introduced later this year.

Letting agents and landlords will only be permitted to require a payment for rent, security deposits, holding deposits, a payment in default (when a tenant breaches a contract), and payments in respect of council tax, utilities, a television licence, or communication services.

The Act will cap holding deposits, paid to reserve a property before the signing of a rental contract, to the equivalent of a week’s rent and create provisions to ensure their prompt repayment. It will also give the Welsh Government the power, should it wish to use it in the future, to limit the level of security deposits.

The Tenant Fees Act comes into force in England, on 1 June.
Renting Homes (Fee etc.) (Wales) Bill summary available HERE


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