Further extension of longer tenant notice periods required in Wales ‘is yet another blow to the Welsh private rented sector and will only worsen the ongoing rent arrears crisis’ .
This is the view of the National Residential Landlords Association. ‘Expecting landlords to carry the burden of extended notice periods is doomed to fail and the Welsh Government’s desire to continue kicking the can down the road is jeopardising the long-term future of many landlords’ businesses and in turn, the security of tenants who rely upon them’, said NRLA chief executive Ben Beadle.
He was responding to a recent announcement by the Welsh Government that tenancy notice periods, which had been due to return to their pre-Covid position after 30 September, will now be set at six months. There is an exception made for cases involving anti-social behaviour or domestic violence, where notice periods will revert to the pre-Covid position.
The extension was billed as ‘temporary’ and required notice period will be reviewed again in December.
Explaining the extension, Housing and Local Government Minister Julie James told the Senedd that she was ‘committed to ensuring we continue to protect renters whilst at the same time mitigating impacts on landlords and protecting communities from the harmful effects of ongoing anti-social behaviour. Where rent arrears have accumulated due to Covid-19, private rented sector tenants will soon be able to apply for a loan through the Tenancy Saver Loan scheme when it opens for applications at the end of this month.
‘While these changes offer greater protection to tenants, they are not an excuse for people not to pay their rent if they are able to, and address any financial problems they are experiencing. Having an early conversation with landlords to work out a way forward is vital, as is getting the right debt advice’.
