Housing (Wales) Act 2014
The Housing (Wales) Act 2014 (‘the Act’) is split into 9 Parts:
- Part 1 of the Act regulates the letting of dwellings under certain kinds of tenancy and the management of dwellings subject to such tenancies, by means of a system of registration and licensing, and sets out the requirements for landlords and persons acting on behalf of a landlord;
- Part 2 of the Act focuses on Homelessness. The Act places duties on local housing authorities to help people who are homeless or threatened with homelessness and makes connected provision;
- Part 3 of the Act states that local housing authorities must carry out an assessment of the accommodation needs of Gypsies and Travellers residing in its area. The local housing authority must then prepare a report which is submitted to the Welsh Ministers for approval. It also makes other connected provision;
- Part 4 of the Act states that the Welsh Ministers may set standards to be met by local housing authorities in connection with: the quality of accommodation provided by local housing authorities for housing; rent for such accommodation; and service charges for such accommodation. It also makes other connected provision;
- Part 5 provides for the abolition of the subsidy payable in relation to the Housing Revenue Accounts of local housing authorities under the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, and other connected provision;
- Part 6 amends Schedule 1 and 2 of the Housing Act 1988 to allow fully mutual housing associations to grant assured tenancies;
- Part 7 of the Act relates to the amount of council tax payable for certain types of dwelling. The Local Government Finance Act 1992 is amended to reflect these changes in Wales;
- Parts 8 and 9 makes other connected provisions of a more general nature.
The Explanatory Notes to the Act provide detailed commentary on the various provisions.
Coming into force
Sections 142 to 143 and 145 to 146 came into force on 17 September 2014 (the day on which the Act received Royal Assent), in accordance with section 145(1).
Sections 132 to 136 in Part 5 (Housing Finance) came into force after the end of the 2 month period following Royal Assent, in accordance with section 145(2).
The remaining provisions of this Act come into force on a day appointed by the Welsh Ministers in an order made by statutory instrument, in accordance with section 145(3). The following Orders have been made:
- The Housing (Wales) Act 2014 (Commencement No. 10) Order 2019
- The Housing (Wales) Act 2014 (Commencement No. 9) Order 2019
- The Housing (Wales) Act 2014 (Commencement No. 8) Order 2016
- The Housing (Wales) Act 2014 (Commencement No. 7) Order 2016
- The Housing (Wales) Act 2014 (Commencement No. 6) Order 2016
- The Housing (Wales) Act 2014 (Commencement No. 5) Order 2015
- The Housing (Wales) Act 2014 (Commencement No. 4) Order 2015
- The Housing (Wales) Act 2014 (Commencement No. 3 and Transitory, Transitional and Saving Provisions) Order 2015
- The Housing (Wales) Act 2014 (Commencement No. 2) Order 2015
- The Housing (Wales) Act 2014 (Commencement No. 1) Order 2014
Subordinate legislation made under the Act:
Consideration of the legislation by the Senedd
The Bill was introduced on 18 November 2013 by Carl Sargeant AM, who was the Minister for Housing and Regeneration at the time. The Bill was passed by Senedd Cymru (known then as the National Assembly for Wales) on 8 July 2014.
More information about the Bill is available on the Senedd’s website, including a record of the passage of the Bill through Senedd and the Explanatory Memorandum that was prepared by the Welsh Government (as amended at stage 2).
The Act received Royal Assent on 17 September 2014.