Call for renters in Wales to get compensation for no-fault eviction

Jeffrey Walters says he had a "hard" time finding somewhere to let after he was served a no-fault eviction notice. Credit: PA / ITV Cymru Wales

There are fresh calls for private renters in Wales to be given more rights, including the possible right to compensation if they are evicted.

The Local Government and Housing Committee’s inquiry into privately rented homes is urging the Welsh Government to tackle issues in the housing market to make renting a better experience.

In a report published on Tuesday (22 October), the committee urged the Welsh Government to ease the pressure on tenants facing a no-fault eviction by looking into a proposal where landlords would give renters the last two months’ rent of their tenancy as compensation.

Single-parent of two Jeffrey Walters, from Newport, was served a no-fault eviction notice by his landlord in September 2022. He says he encountered problems when he tried to let somewhere.

Jeffrey Walters, from Newport, says it was "hard" for him to find a place to rent after he was served a no-fault eviction Credit: ITV Cymru Wales

"It was hard getting somewhere else from there, plus the cost of it all. I was looking at needing a minimum of £2,500 to get another property," Jeffrey said, saying this would include moving costs and the provision of one month's rent in advance.

"I'm a proud man. I was brought up [to] fight, work, find a solution, that there's always a light at the end of the tunnel. It was hard. I couldn't see a light. Brick walls seemed to be everywhere," he said of the experience.

He added that, during the process, his children were concerned about where they would end up going to school.

"It's a long process, it's a shame they got wrapped up in it all," he said.

With help from the council, Jeffrey said he was eventually able to find somewhere to rent. Jeffrey says compensation for tenants "would go a long way to help," but that it would need to be "tightly controlled." He added that he feels tenants of no-fault evictions should not have to pay legal costs.

The Welsh Government told the Committee that the existing six-month warning that a landlord must give a tenant means that Wales currently has the toughest protections for tenants in the UK.

The Committee told the Welsh Government that by April 2025 they should publish their reasoning on whether two-month rent compensation for those facing eviction is feasible.

With a law banning no-fault evictions currently making its way through the House of Commons, the Committee says the Welsh Government should monitor the situation in England to ensure that tenants in Wales don’t end up worse off.

The report also found discrimination by landlords against people on benefits as well as those with pets.

A 2022 survey by Shelter Cymru showed that 37 per cent of landlords in Wales say they do not, or prefer not, to let to tenants on benefits.

Some landlords also ask for several months’ worth of rent in advance, which can make it difficult for people on low incomes to afford to rent. The committee has called on the Welsh Government to regulate the sector and remove these types of financial barriers.

It is also calling for the Welsh Government to explain how they intend to make pet ownership in rented accommodation a right, and to also launch a campaign with landlords to eliminate discrimination against pet owners.

Jeffrey, a dog-owner and part time worker, said he also encountered difficulties finding somewhere to rent, being asked about pets, receiving benefits, and whether or not he smoked.

Jeffrey said he was unable to rent some properties as a pet owner Credit: ITV Cymru Wales

"Some [letting agencies] reduced the properties I could apply for because I was allowed it on benefits. Benefits probably make up two thirds of my income as a part time worker," he said.

He says he doesn't want other people to go through the same experience as him.

"If it hadn't been for my kids, my grandkids and my grandchildren, I might have done something silly. It was that bad, it literally broke me as a person," Jeffrey said.

John Griffiths MS, the Chair of the Local Government and Housing Committee, said: “Having a safe place to call home is a fundamental part of people being able to live happy, healthy and fulfilling lives, regardless of whether that home is owned or rented.

“Unfortunately, this Committee heard far too much evidence of people unable to find a stable home because they were on benefits, couldn’t afford huge up front deposits or had a pet. This discrimination, and the many other barriers in people’s way, must be addressed as soon as possible.

“And despite rules making no-fault evictions harder than they used to be, we know that many people are still living with the possibility of eviction hanging over their heads.

“The private rented sector has to work for both tenants and landlords. This is why we’re urging the Welsh Government to implement our recommendations so that high-quality, affordable homes are available to all.”

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “Ensuring everyone in Wales has a decent, affordable and safe place to call home is one of our key ambitions and we will be publishing our White Paper on Adequate Housing, Fair Rents and Affordability this month.

“We are grateful to the committee for its report and will be considering the findings and recommendations carefully.”

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