Group 13: Restrictions on giving notice for possession (Amendments 46, 54)

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 6:22 pm on 19 March 2019.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of David Melding David Melding Conservative 6:22, 19 March 2019

Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer, and I'm very happy to move both of the amendments in this group, which have been developed in close collaboration with the Minister and her team. And I know I've said a few sharp things, but I hope I've said many more constructive things about this legislation, and I do think it's a good sign when the Government gets behind an opposition-inspired amendment.

The amendment stems from one that I brought forward at Stage 2, and has been expanded to ratify some anomalies from the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 that also relate to this issue. These amendments prevent the landlord from issuing a possession notice to the tenant when a prohibited payment has been issued and has not subsequently been repaid. I think these amendments strike a necessary balance, even when a prohibited payment has been issued by mistake, because this restriction ends at the point of that being repaid. Additionally, we found out at the Committee Stage that there are some circumstances set out in other housing legislation when a landlord is prevented from terminating a tenancy because they have not complied with the law. So, at the very least, these amendments provide consistency with other pieces of legislation, and offer tenants protection, and I thank the Minister for reaching across party boundaries to get these important changes incorporated. And I urge Members to support these amendments.