Under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016, landlords must provide a written statement of the occupation contract to the contract-holder within 14 days of occupation commencing. The written statement must contain all the required terms — fundamental, supplementary and any additional terms. It serves as the definitive record of the contract. Failure to provide it within 14 days means the landlord cannot serve a no-fault possession notice until it has been served and a further 2 months have elapsed.

No. The Assured Shorthold Tenancy was abolished in Wales in December 2022 under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016. Any tenancy granted in Wales after that date must be on an Occupation Contract. Tenancies that existed before December 2022 were automatically converted to Occupation Contracts, though the specific terms of pre-existing agreements were preserved as additional contract terms.

The minimum no-fault possession notice period in Wales is 6 months under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016. This notice cannot be served in the first 6 months of the contract, meaning a contract-holder effectively has security of tenure for at least 12 months from the start of the occupation. Fault-based notices have shorter notice periods depending on the ground.

Most occupation contracts in Wales become periodic (rolling month-to-month) at the end of the initial fixed term unless a new fixed-term contract is agreed. We advise on renewal terms, negotiate with tenants, prepare any new or varied written statements and manage the transition. Where rent reviews are proposed at renewal, we advise on market-appropriate levels to retain good tenants.

On 1 December 2022, all existing Assured Shorthold Tenancies in Wales were automatically converted to Standard Occupation Contracts. The main change was the applicable legal framework — security of tenure provisions and notice periods under the Renting Homes Act applied from that date. Landlords of existing tenancies were required to provide contract-holders with a written statement of the converted contract within 6 months. Many landlords missed this deadline — contact us if you are unsure of your position.

You can manage your own tenancies in Wales provided you are registered with Rent Smart Wales as a landlord AND hold a Rent Smart Wales landlord licence. The licence requires completing an approved training course. Without the licence, you cannot lawfully carry out management activities (collecting rent, organising repairs, handling deposits) — these must be delegated to a licensed agent.