The Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 and Homelessness (Suitability of Accommodation) (Wales) Order 2015 (Amendment) Regulations 2023

Amendments to the Act

2.—(1) The Act is amended as follows.

(2) In Schedule 2 (exceptions to section 7)—

(a) in Part 3 (tenancies and licences that are never occupation contracts)—

(i) in paragraph 7(3)(1), at the end of paragraph (k), insert—

“(l) a licence which relates to private sector temporary homelessness accommodation (see paragraph 10A).”;

(ii) after paragraph 10 insert—

“Meaning of “private sector temporary homelessness accommodation”

10A.— (1) Private sector temporary homelessness accommodation is accommodation which—

(a) is provided by a private landlord under arrangements made with a local housing authority in pursuance of any of that authority’s homelessness housing functions, and

(b) is within the definition of “B&B accommodation” in article 2 (interpretation) of the Homelessness (Suitability of Accommodation) (Wales) Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/1268 (W. 87)), as it has effect on 30 November 2023, which is the date on which the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 and Homelessness (Suitability of Accommodation) (Wales) Order 2015 (Amendment) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/1277 (W. 225)) came into force.

(2) In this paragraph “local housing authority” and “homelessness housing functions” have the meanings given in paragraph 12(5).”;

(b) in Part 4 (tenancies and licences to which special rules apply: homelessness), in paragraph 12(1), after “accommodation” insert “, but this paragraph does not apply in relation to a licence of the kind described in paragraph 7(3)(l)”.

(3) In section 243(3) (local authority and other authorities), after “other than in” insert “paragraph 10A and”.

(1)

Paragraph 7(3) was amended by section 14 of and paragraphs 1 and 5(2) of Schedule 5 to the Renting Homes (Amendment) (Wales) Act 2021 (asc 3), section 66 of and paragraph 2(n) of Part 1 of Schedule 11 to the Immigration Act 2016 (c. 19) and regulation 2 of S.I. 2022/803 (W. 179).