Renters Rights Act 2025: Implementation in Wales

The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 has provisions relating to discrimination which are intended to apply in Wales (which I have highlighted here and here).  The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 (Commencement) (Wales) Order 2026, SI 2026/6, provides that sections 43-9 will come into force on 1st June 2026.  This will mean that discrimination relating to children and benefits status will be unlawful, subject to defences, and liable to summary conviction to a fine.

There are interesting consequential provisions.  So, for example, under s 8F-H of the Renting Homes (Fees etc)(Wales) Act 2019, a term in a superior lease or mortgage or insurance contract is not binding to the extent that it would require a tenant to

(a) prohibit a contract-holder from having a child live with or visit them at the dwelling, or

(b) restrict the circumstances in which a contract-holder may have a child live with or visit them at the dwelling,

Even though those provisions do not apply in certain circumstances (which, I suspect, may be litigated), it is quite a dramatic incursion into the idea of freedom of contract, although it should be noted that “Nothing in this Part prohibits taking a person’s income into account when considering whether that person would be able to afford to pay rent under an occupation contract” (s 8I).