Renting Homes (Fees etc.) (Wales) Act 2019
The Renting Homes (Fees etc.) (Wales) Act 2019 (the Act) prohibits landlords from charging residential tenants for a number of letting fees, such as administration fees, references and credit check fees. It also makes provision about holding deposits and allows the Welsh Ministers, by regulations, to make provision in connection with publicising certain fees charged by letting agents.
The Explanatory Notes to the Act provide detailed commentary on the various provisions.
Coming into force:
Sections 30 and 31 of the Act came into force on 16 May 2019, which was the day after the Act received Royal Assent. The other provisions of the Act come into force in accordance with section 30(2) of the Act, when one or more orders are made by the Welsh Ministers. The following order has been made:
The Renting Homes (Fees etc.) (Wales) Act 2019 (Commencement No. 1) Order 2019
Subordinate legislation made under the Act:
| Title | Citation number | Made date | Coming into force date | Supporting documents |
| The Renting Homes (Fees etc.) (Prescribed Limits of Default Payments) (Wales) Regulations 2020 | 2020 No. 202 (W. 45) | 28 February 2020 | 28 April 2020 | Explanatory Memorandum |
| The Renting Homes (Fees etc.) (Holding Deposit) (Specified Information) (Wales) Regulations 2019 | 2019 No. 1493 (W. 272) | 4 December 2019 | 10 December 2019 for the purpose of regulation 2 and 28 February 2020 for all other purposes. | Explanatory Memorandum |
| The Renting Homes (Fees etc.) (Specified Information) (Wales) Regulations 2019 (revoked) | 2019 No 1466 (W. 258) | 12 November 2019 | 13 December 2019 | Explanatory Memorandum |
| The Renting Homes (Fees etc.) (Wales) Act 2019 (Transitional Provision for Assured Shorthold Tenancies) Regulations 2019 (revoked) | 2019 No. 1151 (W. 201) | 18 July 2019 | 1 September 2019 | Explanatory Memorandum |
Consideration of the legislation by the Senedd:
The Bill was introduced by Rebecca Evans AM, (the then) Minister for Housing and Regeneration on 11 June 2018 and passed by Senedd Cymru (the then National Assembly for Wales) on 27 March 2019.
More information about the Bill is available on the Senedd’s website, including a record of the passage of the Bill through the Senedd and the Explanatory Memorandum that was prepared by the Welsh Government (as revised after Stage 2).
The Act received Royal Assent on 15 May 2019.