Renting Homes Wales: Pre-Contract Documents

These Renting Homes Wales pre-contract documents are designed to help private landlords and letting agents prepare for a new occupation contract and comply with Welsh housing legislation. Preparing properly before granting an occupation contract is essential for ensuring legal compliance, protecting rental income, and reducing the risk of disputes during the occupation.

This section includes practical pre-tenancy templates, referencing forms, compliance checklists, and tenant information documents for use in connection with residential lettings in Wales.

What These Documents Cover

The templates and guidance documents help landlords and agents:

Maintain accurate records before the occupation begins
Record key tenancy and property information;
Carry out tenant referencing and affordability checks;
Document agreed tenancy terms;
Obtain any necessary third party consents before the occupation contract is entered into

The Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 introduced significant changes to residential lettings in Wales, including new requirements relating to written statements, occupation contracts, deposits, and landlord obligations.

Under Welsh housing legislation, providing a property inventory is mandatory. Landlords must provide an inventory to the contract-holder within 14 days of the start date of a standard occupation contract.

Why Download These Documents

Using clear and compliant pre-contract documentation helps landlords and agents:

Demonstrate compliance,
Reduce legal risk,
Improve record keeping,
Streamline tenant onboarding; and
Support professional property management practices.

All templates are drafted for use in England and Wales residential lettings and are suitable for landlords, agents, and property professionals dealing with Welsh occupation contracts.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What do I need to do before granting an occupation contract in Wales? +

Prepare thoroughly before the contract starts. Reference the applicant for identity, affordability and previous landlord history, carry out a right to rent check, complete any anti-money laundering checks where they apply, agree heads of terms and obtain any consents you need, such as from a mortgage lender. Recording these steps protects your rental income and reduces the risk of a dispute. The pre-contract templates cover each step.

Do I still have to do right to rent checks in Wales? +

Yes. The right to rent scheme under the Immigration Act 2014 applies across England and Wales, so you must check that every adult occupier has the right to rent before the contract begins and keep evidence. Since February 2024 the civil penalty is up to 5,000 pounds per lodger or 10,000 pounds per occupier for a first breach, rising to 10,000 pounds per lodger or 20,000 pounds per occupier for a repeat breach.

Is a property inventory required in Wales? +

Yes. Under Welsh housing law you must give the contract-holder a written inventory of the condition and contents of the property. It has to be provided within 14 days of the occupation date. A clear inventory, ideally with photographs, is your main evidence when justifying any deposit deduction at the end of the contract. The pro forma inventory in this section helps you record the property room by room.

Can I take a holding deposit before the contract, and what are the rules? +

Yes, but it is capped. A holding deposit cannot exceed one week's rent under the Renting Homes (Fees etc.) (Wales) Act 2019, and before you take it you must give the applicant the specified information required by the 2019 holding deposit regulations. If the contract goes ahead the holding deposit is normally credited or repaid within seven days, and there are strict rules on when you can keep it. The holding deposit templates build these rules in.

Do I need my mortgage lender's consent to let in Wales? +

If the property is mortgaged, check your lender's position before granting an occupation contract. Most residential mortgages require the lender's consent to let, and letting without it can breach your mortgage terms. This is separate from your Welsh housing duties but just as important to get right at the pre-contract stage. The template letter seeking consent to let helps you ask the lender before you commit.

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