NRLA Wales: An update on our campaigning

NRLA Wales Operations Manager Steve Bletsoe provides an update on the private rented sector in Wales and key areas of NRLA campaigning.

They say that a week is a long time in politics and a month seems like a lifetime.  

In our May blog we spoke about the effects that the Westminster Renters Reform Bill would have in Wales, now we see that bill has fallen due to the Prime Minister dissolving Parliament to hold a General Election on 4 July.  

What happens from 5 July will depend greatly on the outcome from the ballot boxes across the country, but you can stay up to date with all General Election matters and how it affects the PRS in Wales through our General Election hub. 

Upheaval in the political landscape is not exclusive to Westminster of course, and we have also seen the Welsh Labour - Plaid Cymru cooperation agreement in the Senedd come to an end in the last few weeks.

This is important to the PRS as the production of a White Paper on “Fair Rents and a Right to Adequate Housing” was a central part of that agreement.  

What happens now?

The honest answer is no one outside of the corridors of power in Cardiff Bay really knows. Working Groups attended by the NRLA are still being told of a “Summer Release” of the White Paper, but we will need to see what happens here as well.  

The Welsh Government has now commissioned the evaluation of Rent Smart Wales, to 'capture the experiences and feedback of landlords and agents in the private rented sector'.

It will assess the impact of RSW on several key areas; business practices and tenant relations, compliance and challenges and communication, awareness and understanding and adapting to changes and future strategies. 

We anticipate that many of you will want to share your experiences dealing with Rent Smart Wales and we are currently working on our formal representations. Please make your voice heard by submitting your opinions here.

Finally, whilst talking about evaluations, there is welcome recognition of the work of the NRLA in Wales, with the production of “Phase One” evaluation of the Implementation of Renting Homes Wales Act by the Welsh Government.  

You can find the document in full here, with one excerpt reading: “All private landlords who had received guidance from the NRLA felt it had been very supportive and had given them appropriate and correct information. Participating landlords valued the NRLA landlord support line and praised the Association for being proactive in publicity through press releases and emails."

Additionally, one private landlord specifically said that the support received from NRLA was the only thing that helped them to navigate the changes issued by Welsh Government, and the stress involved in having to meet important deadlines. ‘If I’d known then what I know now, I would’ve joined the NRLA at the earliest opportunity’ (Private Landlord – Mid and West Wales)”   

We work tirelessly for our members and the PRS as a whole in Wales and there are many benefits to remaining an NRLA member, of which staying compliant in an ever-changing legal landscape is just one.

For a full list of everything that we do for you in Wales, please click here.