## New Welsh Rules Ban Discrimination Against Families and Benefit Recipients

The Welsh Government has confirmed that from 1 June 2026, landlords will no longer be allowed to discriminate against tenants with children or those who receive benefits. This significant change forms part of the Renters’ Rights Act (RRA) and aims to eliminate blanket bans on families and benefit claimants at the enquiry, viewing, or letting stages.

Landlords must provide tenants or contract holders with a new occupation contract or a statement of variation reflecting these changes. The statement can be served up to 14 days after the new rules come into effect, meaning landlords have until 14 June 2026 to comply.

## What the Renters’ Rights Act Means for Welsh Landlords

The Renters’ Rights Act primarily affects tenancies in England but includes important provisions for Welsh landlords, particularly around non-discrimination in the private rented sector. The National Association of Residential Landlords (NRLA) highlights that it is now unlawful for landlords in Wales to:

– Deter households with children or those on benefits from enquiring about a property
– Refuse or restrict their access to viewings or property information
– Exclude them from entering into a tenancy

However, landlords retain the right to assess individual circumstances to determine property suitability. For example, a landlord may refuse to rent a single room in a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) to a family if the accommodation is clearly unsuitable for family living.

## Pre-Tenancy Offences and New Contractual Terms

The Act introduces new offences at the pre-tenancy stage related to discrimination. It also embeds fundamental terms into occupation contracts, granting tenants the right to have children live in or visit the property and preventing landlords from banning tenants from claiming benefits.

Landlords can continue to carry out affordability checks, including considering benefits as part of income assessments, and must maintain safety standards. These measures ensure landlords can still manage risk while complying with the new non-discrimination requirements.

## Practical Implications for Landlords in Wales

Landlords will need to review and update their occupation contracts to comply with the new rules. The NRLA has committed to updating its Welsh occupation contract templates and will provide a downloadable statement of variation ahead of the June deadline to assist landlords.

Failure to comply with the new provisions could result in legal consequences, particularly regarding pre-tenancy offences. Landlords should familiarise themselves with the updated legislation and ensure their letting practices do not unlawfully exclude families or benefit recipients.

## Summary

The ban on no children and no benefits lettings in Wales represents a major step towards fairer access to housing in the private rented sector. Landlords must act promptly to update contracts and ensure compliance by 14 June 2026, supporting tenants’ rights while managing property suitability and affordability responsibly.

Suggested internal link anchors
– Renters’ Rights Act
– private rented sector
– occupation contracts
– tenancy agreements
– affordability checks
– Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO)
– non-discrimination in lettings
– tenancy suitability
– pre-tenancy offences
– benefit claimants and lettings
– landlord compliance
– tenancy contract variations

TLA update

TLA is launching a new Trusted Partners Hub in Q1 2026, featuring verified and approved service providers selected to support landlords, tenants, and property management businesses. We are inviting legal, trades, insurance, financial, mortgage, tenant screening, and other service providers to register their interest here: https://landlordassociation.org.uk/become-a-tla-service-partner/