Residential Landlords Association (RLA)
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Wales fees ban to come into force next month

The fees ban in Wales is set to come into force next month.

The legislation will make it illegal for letting agents and landlords in Wales to charge anything other than permitted payments, which are rent, security deposits, holding deposits, utilities, communication services, council tax, and green deal charges.

The fee ban was introduced in England on 1st June 2019 for new tenancies. Unlike the English equivalent, under the fee ban in Wales, matters such as default fees (paid by tenants breaching their contract) and prescribed documents (compulsory information to be given to tenants) have yet to be finalised, and are at the discretion of the Welsh housing minister. Last month, the RLA responded to a consultation on default fees.

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The RLA has been very active in the progression of this Bill, ever since it was formally introduced by the Welsh Government last year.

During the early stages of the Bill,  the RLA’s Director for Wales, Douglas Haig, gave evidence on the Renting Homes (Fees etc.) (Wales) Bill to the Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee, in the Senedd.

As well as making a formal response to a consultation on the Bill, The RLA has also met with several AMs to discuss the details of the Bill, and earlier this year, ahead of the stage three debate of the Bill, the RLA encouraged members to write to their AMs about the amendments to the bill. You can read a timeline of the RLA’s involvement in the progression of the Bill here.

The announcement comes less than two months until the Tenant Fees Act comes into force in England, on 1st June. Landlords with properties in England can read the RLA’s guidance on the Tenant Fees Act here.

 

Channel website: https://www.nrla.org.uk?ref=wg

Original article link: https://news.rla.org.uk/wales-fees-ban-to-come-into-force-next-month/

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