Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 Explanatory Notes

Sections 1 to 6 – Introduction to, and overview of, Act

28.Part 1 of the Act provides an introduction to, and overview of, the Act. Sections 1 to 4 introduce the key concepts in the Act (occupation contracts, community and private landlords, and fundamental and supplementary provisions). Sections 5 and 6 provide a guide to the structure, content and application of Parts 3 to 11 of the Act.

29.As section 1 suggests, the Act’s primary purpose is to create a new system for the rental of homes which are situated in Wales. The new system is based on establishing two kinds of ‘occupation contract’ which will be the legal bases of most agreements between landlords and people who rent their home. It will abolish most of the various forms of tenancies in existence before it comes into force so that the majority of people who rent their home in Wales, whether under a tenancy or licence (discussed below), will have either a ‘secure contract’ or a ‘standard contract’ with their landlord.

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