Upfront letting fees to be banned in Wales by this autumn

The Senedd (Welsh Parliament) passed the Rental Fees Bill earlier this week which will ban a number of upfront letting fees and gives the Welsh Government the power to regulate certain other fees like holding deposits.

Minister for Local Government & Housing, Julie James (Lab, Swansea West), said many constituents will have been at the sharp end of letting fees and this Bill rebalances the relationship between tenants and landlords. There was a further update on the timetable by which the Bill will come into force:

“Leanne Wood argued most passionately on behalf of students who wish to see fees banned in time for the start of the new academic year this autumn. That is my wish as well. Subject to the passage of the Bill through this final stage and subject to Royal Assent being granted, I intend for the Act to be commenced by the autumn.”
– Minister for Local Government & Housing, Julie James

Shadow Housing Minister, David Melding AM (Con, South Wales Central), said the rights of both tenants and landlords had been correctly balanced in the Bill. Good landlords and letting agents had nothing to fear and it could help them in the long run by “weeding out unscrupulous practices”.

For the record, UKIP’s Neil Hamilton was the only AM who voted against.