The Renters' Rights Act 2025 (Commencement) (Wales) Order 2026 brings anti-discrimination provisions into force in Wales on 1 June 2026, banning landlords from refusing tenants with children or on means-tested benefits. All occupation contracts must be updated by 14 June 2026.
The Renters' Rights Act 2025 (Commencement) (Wales) Order 2026, made by the Welsh Ministers, brings into force the provisions of Chapter 4 of Part 1 of the Renters' Rights Act 2025. These provisions, relating to protection against rental discrimination, will be implemented in Wales from 1 June 2026. Although most of the Act applies only in England, the sections prohibiting discrimination against prospective and existing contract-holders on the basis of children or receipt of means-tested benefits will have equivalent effect in Wales.
Once these provisions are commenced on 1 June 2026, two new fundamental provisions are added to the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 as sections 54A and 54B. These new fundamental provisions will have the effect of preventing a landlord from discriminating against a contract-holder who has children or who is in receipt of welfare benefits. These fundamental provisions will be new fundamental terms of most secure, fixed-term standard, and periodic standard occupation contracts.
The implications for existing contracts are particularly pressing. All landlords in Wales are required to update their standard occupation contracts by formal variation by 14 June 2026 or include the fundamental terms in new standard occupation contracts from 1 June 2026. Where the new fundamental terms apply to an existing occupation contract, the landlord must give their contract-holder either a written statement of the term or terms varied, or a written statement of the occupation contract as varied. Breaches of the new rules can result in a fixed penalty notice, typically capped at ?1,000, and local authorities will be responsible for enforcement. Landlords using bespoke contract templates rather than the Welsh Government model written statements must ensure their own documents are amended to include the new terms before granting any new contract from 1 June 2026.
Action required
Stop any blanket 'no children' or 'no DSS' policies immediately. For all new standard occupation contracts from 1 June 2026, ensure the two new fundamental terms (sections 54A and 54B of the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016) are incorporated. For existing contracts, serve a written statement of variation on every contract-holder no later than 14 June 2026.
Effective
2026-06-01
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