Housing Wales Act 2014

Wales’  first ever housing act aims to improve the supply, quality and standards of housing in Wales.

The key elements of the act are:

  • introduction of a compulsory registration and licensing scheme for private rented sector landlords and letting and management agents, which will be delivered by Rent Smart Wales (external link)
  • reform of homelessness law, including placing a stronger duty on local authorities to prevent homelessness and allowing them to use suitable accommodation in the private sector
  • placing a duty on local authorities to provide sites for Gypsies and Travellers where a need has been identified
  • introduction of standards for local authorities on rents, service charges and quality of accommodation
  • reform of the Housing Revenue Account Subsidy system
  • giving local authorities the power to charge more than the standard rate of council tax on long-term empty properties and certain types of second homes
  • assisting the provision of housing by Co-operative Housing Associations, and
  • amendment of the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993.

Our priorities are:

  • more homes
  • better quality homes
  • better housing-related services.

The act complements the wide range of developments across the housing sector and the goals of programmes, including:

  • Social Housing Grant
  • innovative funding such as the Housing Finance Grant
  • regeneration projects such as the Vibrant and Viable Places 
  • finance solutions to help homebuyers
    • the Houses into Homes scheme
    • Help to Buy Wales
    • Homebuy and
    • Rent First
  • the Welsh Housing Quality Standard
  • services such as the Supporting People Programme
  • homelessness.
Publication Date: 
2014