Written question WQ85721

One of a number of incentives Welsh Government provides is Leasing Scheme Wales. Launched in January 2022, and worth £30 million over five years, the scheme will improve access to longer term affordable housing in the private rented sector. Landlords lease their properties to local authorities for between five and 20 years for a guaranteed rent which is affordable for tenants. Capital funding is available to bring the properties up to the necessary standard.

In addition, Welsh Government has provided nearly £43m of recyclable funding for local authorities to provide interest free property loans. Subject to eligibility criteria applied by individual local authorities, landlords and/or homeowners can access loans of up to £35k per unit.

The Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 not only improves tenants’ rights but also benefits landlords. For example, landlords will be able to repossess an abandoned property without needing a court order, after serving a four-week warning notice and carrying out investigations to satisfy themselves the property is indeed abandoned. As well as ensuring more effective use of our housing stock, this will help reduce the time when the landlord is not receiving rent. Making the rights and responsibilities of both landlords and tenants much clearer, through having everything set out in written contracts and not relying on implied terms and sometimes obscure case law, will also help avoid costly and time-consuming disputes.