The main change coming into force in Wales under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 for Welsh landlords and occupation contracts is a targeted anti-discrimination reform.

From 1 June 2026, it will become unlawful for a landlord, or anyone acting on their behalf, to discriminate against a prospective or existing contract-holder because they have children or receive benefits.

This means landlords and agents must not refuse, discourage, or prevent a person from:

• enquiring about a property;
  
• viewing a property;
  
• accessing information about the property, including its availability;
  
• entering into an occupation contract;
  
• receiving benefits during the occupation; or
  
• having a child live at or visit the dwelling.

The new rules are aimed at preventing blanket exclusions such as “No DSS”, “No benefits”, “working tenants only”, or “no children” when letting residential property in Wales. Landlords can still assess applicants properly and fairly. They can still consider affordability, references, suitability, overcrowding, and whether the property is appropriate for the proposed household. What they cannot do is reject or deter applicants simply because they receive benefits or have children.

The law does not require landlords to accept every applicant. It requires landlords and agents to make decisions on a fair, individual and evidence-based basis.

This is Nothing New!

Some of the commentary around these changes (scaremongering almost) has been unnecessarily alarming. In reality, blanket bans on benefit claimants or families with children were already legally risky.

The Equality Act 2010 has long prohibited certain forms of direct and indirect discrimination. In the housing context, “No DSS” policies have already been successfully challenged.

One of the best-known examples is the 2020 York County Court case brought by a claimant known as Jane, supported by Shelter. The court found that a letting agent’s blanket refusal to rent to people receiving housing benefit was unlawful and indirectly discriminatory. Shelter described the ruling as confirming that housing benefit discrimination was unlawful.

There was also the later case of Stephen Tyler v Paul Carr Estate Agents, where a disabled homeless father was found to have been unlawfully discriminated against after being prevented from viewing properties because he was receiving benefits. The case is often cited as another example of the courts treating blanket “No DSS” policies as unlawful indirect discrimination.

The Renters’ Rights Act, therefore, does not come out of nowhere. It formalises and strengthens protections that were already developing under equality law, and it makes the position clearer for Welsh occupation contracts.

What Must Welsh Landlords do to Comply?

The important practical compliance step for landlords in Wales is to update their occupation contract paperwork.

From 1 June 2026, new fundamental terms will be inserted into most Welsh occupation contracts. These terms deal with:

• the right for children to live at or visit the dwelling; and
  
• the right to receive benefits.

The Welsh Government guidance confirms that these new fundamental provisions are added to the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 as sections 54A and 54B, and that they will become fundamental terms of most secure, fixed-term standard and periodic standard occupation contracts.

Where the new fundamental terms apply to an existing occupation contract, the landlord must give the contract-holder either:

• a written statement of the term or terms varied; or
  
• a written statement of the occupation contract as varied.

This must be provided by 14 June 2026.

In practice, a landlord may choose to either:

1. Update the existing written statement of the occupation contract to include the new fundamental terms and provide that updated statement to the contract-holder; or
2. Provide a separate written statement of variation, making clear where the new terms sit within the existing written statement.

Whichever route is chosen, the written statement must be given to the contract-holder no later than 14 June 2026. Rent Smart Wales also confirms that new standard occupation contracts from 1 June 2026 must include the new fundamental terms from the outset.

What Changes Under The Renters’ Rights Act do Not Apply in Wales?

This is where much of the confusion has arisen.

Although the Renters’ Rights Act introduces wide-ranging reforms in England, Welsh landlords should be reassured that only two practical changes affect Wales:

1. The strengthened anti-discrimination provisions relating to people who receive benefits and people with children;
2. The requirement to provide contract-holders with a written statement of the terms by 14 June 2026.

Please find the government link for guidance here.

Practical Service Points

The statement should be given to each contract-holder. Where there are joint contract-holders, it is sensible to address and serve the variation on all of them, not just one person.

Landlords should keep clear evidence of service. Depending on what the existing occupation contract says about notices and communication, service may usually be by:

• hand delivery;
  
• post;
  
• email, if the contract-holder has agreed to receive documents electronically; or
  
• any other method permitted by the occupation contract.

The safest approach is to check the notice/service provisions in the existing written statement and follow those. If serving by email, landlords should keep a copy of the email, the attachment, and any delivery or read receipt. If serving by post, they should keep a copy of the notice, proof of posting, and a record of the date sent. If hand delivering, they should keep a dated attendance note or certificate of service.

As a belt and braces, we are advising landlords to serve this document via email and first-class post with proof of postage.

No Other Renters’ Rights Act Changes Apply in Wales

Nothing else from the wider English Renters’ Rights Act reforms applies to Welsh occupation contracts.

For most landlords, the Welsh changes should be straightforward to implement. The important steps are simply to avoid blanket exclusions against applicants because they receive benefits or have children, and to make sure the required written statement or statement of variation is provided by the deadline.

Landlords who already assess applicants fairly and keep their paperwork up to date should not need to worry. These are manageable compliance changes for Welsh landlords, not a wholesale reform of Welsh landlord and tenant law.

For bespoke legal support and guidance to ensure you remain compliant with the changes brought by the Renters' Rights Act 2025, get in touch with Zoe Turner within our award-winning Landlord & Tenant team via z.turner@woodstocklegalservices.co.uk or by completing the form below: