Propertymark, an industry body, has urged First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth not to advance plans to introduce rent controls and abolish no-fault evictions in Wales. The body has written a letter ahead of the proposed Welsh Rental Bill 2027, which is intended to reshape the private rented sector.
The proposals include strengthening the rights of private tenants. Propertymark stated its opposition to rent control measures, arguing that international experience shows they can reduce investment, discourage new rental homes, limit housing choice, and ultimately lead to higher rents as supply becomes constrained.
Propertymark also contends that the existing framework under Section 173 of the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016, which requires six months' notice for landlords to regain possession without tenant fault, already balances tenant security with landlord confidence. Maintaining this balance is considered essential for investment in the Welsh private rented sector.
Additionally, the Senedd legislative programme includes plans for mandatory rent data collection. Propertymark has expressed concerns about the practical implications of this, suggesting that extracting, formatting, and submitting data would be a significant administrative task for larger agencies, while smaller agencies may lack the resources to comply.