The Coronavirus Act 2020 (Assured Tenancies and Assured Shorthold Tenancies, Extension of Notice Periods) (Amendment) (Wales) Regulations 2020

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend Schedule 29 to the Coronavirus Act 2020 (“the Act”) in respect of assured tenancies and assured shorthold tenancies in Wales. They amend paragraph 6(c) and (d) and paragraph 7(a) and (b) of Schedule 29 to the Act to extend the notice period a landlord must give a tenant under section 8(4A) or (4B) and section 21(1) or (4) of the Housing Act 1988 (“the 1988 Act”).

By virtue of paragraphs 6 and 7 of Schedule 29 to the Act, the extended notice periods apply during the relevant period. The “relevant period” is defined in paragraph 1 of Schedule 29 to the Act and may be amended in relation to Wales by the Welsh Ministers.

Regulation 2 amends the periods set out in paragraph 6(c) and (d) and paragraph 7(a) and (b) of Schedule 29 to the Act so that the period of notice required to be given under section 8(4A) or (4B) and section 21(1) or (4) of the 1988 Act is extended from three to six months. The extended notice period applies to notices given under section 8(4A) or (4B) and section 21(1) or (4) of the 1988 Act on or after the date that these Regulations come into force.

These Regulations also amend the notice periods set out in paragraph 11(a) and (b) of Schedule 29 to the Act. This has the effect of requiring the relevant references in Form 3 in the Schedule to the Assured Tenancies and Agricultural Occupancies (Forms) Regulations 1997, which is used when serving notice under section 8 of the 1988 Act, to be read as being 6 months.

The Welsh Ministers’ Code of Practice on the carrying out of Regulatory Impact Assessments was considered in relation to these Regulations. As a result, it was not considered necessary to carry out a regulatory impact assessment as to the likely costs and benefits of complying with these Regulations.