The occupation contract must cover four areas: 1) Key matters: 2) Fundamental Terms: 3) Supplementary Terms: 4) Additional Terms. A written statement of the contract must be supplied to the new contract-holder no later than 14 days after the start of the contract.

Each rented property must provide a satisfactory electrical installation condition report (EICR), A landlord is required to have the electrical installation of the dwelling tested every five years. The current EICR must be made available to the contract-holder within 14 days of the occupation date.

It is the responsibility of the landlord to ensure that their rented accommodation in Wales must be fitted with mains-powered and interlinked smoke alarms with one installed on each storey of the dwelling. All smoke alarms must be powered either from the mains electricity circuit or a dedicated mains circuit from the consumer unit. Smoke and heat alarms must either be interlinked by cable or by wireless radio-frequency interlink.

The Contract-Holder is guaranteed a minimum 12-month agreement and longer notice periods to regain possession. Six months is the minimum notice period landlords must give the contract-holder to regain possession of their property. Landlords are unable to serve notice during the first six months of the agreement and are unable to serve notice during the fixed term. There are exceptions to this for converted contracts, however.

You must provide an EPC for the property before you market your property to let. An EPC provides information about a property’s energy use and typical energy costs along with recommendations about how to reduce energy use and save money. An EPC gives a property an energy efficiency rating from A (most efficient) to E (least efficient) and is valid for 10 years.

Since 2014, regulations have been in force relating to window blind ‘cords’. Vertical, Venetian, Roller, Roman and Austrian blinds must have operating cords with built in safety systems to prevent them forming a hazardous loop, even if there aren’t children at the property. Landlords should check tumble dryers in their properties. Which? has advice about how to check whether a dryer is safe or not and also lists models that it knows to be affected by the safety alert.

Since 23 November 2015, all Landlords within the private rented sector owning a property let out on an occupation contract in Wales are legally required to register with Rent Smart Wales in order to comply with the law. Failure to register false or misleading information on your registration is an offence. Once completed, the landlord registration is valid for 5 years. Upon expiry, you will need to renew the registration to comply for a further 5 years. If you do not appoint an agent to manage your property you are required to attend training and have a licence. The easiest and cheapest way to register is online, for more information take a look at the guidance from Rent Smart Wales by visiting rentsmart.gov.wales

Health and safety legislation requires that Landlords carry out risk assessments for the presence of Legionella bacteria which cause Legionnaires’ disease and thereafter maintain control measures to minimise the risk. Further advice is available from the Health & Safety Executive by clicking here: https://www.hse.gov.uk/legionnaires/legionella-landlords-responsibilities.htm BLINDS Since 2014, regulations have been in force relating to window blind ‘cords’. Vertical, Venetian, Roller, Roman and Austrian blinds must have operating cords with built in safety systems to prevent them forming a hazardous loop, even if there aren’t children at the property.