Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I've listened to concerns raised by Members and stakeholders regarding the need to make provision to prevent the charging of excessive or unreasonable charges in the event of a default. In particular, I'm aware of evidence provided of sharp practice in relation to daily charges for late rent payments, leading to significant debts being incurred by tenants. Amendments 27, 32, 33 and 34 seek to address this issue by making it an offence for an agent or landlord to charge a sum in excess of the prescribed limit set out in regulations provided for by amendment 35. I appreciate that Leanne Wood is seeking to also address the same concerns but cannot support her amendments as I do not believe they achieve the same policy objective.

A regulation-making power to set a prescribed limit and specifying descriptions of default payments under amendment 34 provides the flexibility to respond to changes in the private rental sector. Unreasonable default charges do not appear to be widespread but they do vary depending on the property and the circumstances of the landlord and tenant. Members will rightly be concerned about late rent payment charges and that will be our focus in setting a limit that prevents any exploitation of contract holders. Therefore, a flexible approach, using subordinate legislation, is more appropriate than attempting to stipulate a one-size-fits-all provision on the face of the Bill. This is particularly the case as we may want to amend the prescribed limit at some point in the future, particularly as the sector adapts to the broader reforms brought about by the Bill.

In proceeding with the regulations under amendment 34, we will ensure that we know all of the facts before prescribing what payments, if any, would be reasonable to require coming about as a result of an action of a tenant. It will also ensure that all evidence is presented to Members before they can consider whether to agree to the regulations I or any other Minister bring forward in the future. We will consult upon the policy to test the proposals with stakeholders and intend to do so as soon as possible after the Bill completes its passage through the Assembly. Leanne Wood's amendment is too narrow and will prevent us from establishing what may rightly be chargeable by a landlord in the case of a breach of contract by a tenant. Overly restricted in this way, more unscrupulous landlords may seek devious routes to recover money resulting from a perceived default, such as payments for late rent. This could undermine the wider reputation of the private rented sector as a whole.

I also think it is a reasonable expectation that tenants who are late with rent and perhaps sometimes consistently so may have to pay a charge for that. My amendment will put in place, through regulations, the necessary safeguards in this area. We know some landlords are also tenants themselves or have mortgages to pay. If they are not paid rent on time, they potentially cannot pay their own rent or mortgage, leaving them also open to potential default charges or even putting their home at risk.

Leanne's amendment 59 mirrors my amendment 27. The purpose of both is to ensure that any regulations brought forward to set a limit on default payments will be subject to the affirmative procedure. I'm sure that Leanne won't mind if I ask Members to vote for my amendment over hers as they achieve the same aim. I would also ask that Members do not vote for Leanne's amendment 63 as I have achieved our shared aim through my amendment 34. The amendment ensures that Welsh Ministers may prescribe through regulations a limit on payments required in the event of a default. Regulations follow the affirmative procedure. It therefore makes it possible for Welsh Ministers to prescribe a limit on default payments, ensuring that any excess is a prohibited payment. 

Amendments 32 and 33 give effect to amendment 34. They ensure that restrictions set out within the regulations on the treatment of a payment in default are made consistent with this subsection of the Bill.