Written Statement: Publication of the White Paper on Adequate Housing and Fair Rents

Today I have published a White Paper on Adequate Housing, Fair Rents and Affordability for consultation - fulfilling our Programme for Government commitment. The development of the White Paper was originally taken forward as part of the previous Co-operation Agreement with Plaid Cymru, and I would like to put on record my thanks to the Designated Member, Siân Gwenllian MS, for her engagement and contribution to its development. I would also like to thank the Stakeholder Advisory Group who have also contributed to the development of the White Paper.

Ensuring everyone in Wales has a decent, affordable and safe place to call home is a key ambition of this Government. The principle that everyone has a right to an adequate home is one we wholeheartedly support. I am proud of the progress we have already made towards delivering housing adequacy for the people of Wales - this includes improving housing quality and standards; strengthening tenant’s rights; delivering more social homes; introducing broad measures to manage future numbers of second homes; and transforming our approach to homelessness. We are also building on these strong foundations, with continued significant investment to deliver more social homes and are developing ambitious and far-reaching legislation to support our ambition to end homelessness.  

The proposals in this White Paper set out further building blocks in our progressive path towards achieving housing adequacy for the people of Wales and has been informed by the evidence we received to our Green Paper consultation last year. I am grateful to everyone who took the time to respond to the consultation or attend one of the consultation events. The responses and evidence provided, highlighted the importance of properly defining housing adequacy in a Welsh context and how it can be realised over time. The White Paper therefore sets out proposals for the development of a long term housing strategy to provide a clear and measurable framework to support the delivery of housing adequacy for all.

These include:

• proposals to develop legislation in the next Senedd term, to place a duty on Welsh Ministers to produce a housing strategy to address housing adequacy, including provisions for monitoring, reporting and review. 
• consideration of placing a duty on defined public sector bodies to have regard to the housing strategy in discharging their housing functions. 

The White Paper also sets out a number of proposals aimed at improving affordability, habitability and accessibility in the Private Rented Sector – all of which are key aspects of housing adequacy. The proposals have also been informed by the Green Paper consultation, which clearly showed a need to improve the robustness of rent data as a first step to better understand the local context and ensure effective targeting of potential future policy interventions.    

Proposals set out in the White Paper also include: 

• proposals to improve rent data, including a requirement on landlords/and or agents to provide rent data to Rent Smart Wales; 
• the development of a spatial rent map to show local area rent data; 
• proposals on how to demonstrate a property is habitable; 
• proposals to support people renting with pets; 
• guidance around rent guarantors; and 
• exploring the potential for Land Transaction Tax (‘LTT’) higher residential rates relief if properties are signed up to the Welsh Government’s Leasing Scheme Wales.

This White Paper is another significant step forward on our progressive journey towards delivering housing adequacy for everyone in Wales. We will continue to work with stakeholders in taking forward the broad range of measures which encompasses delivery of housing adequacy. 

The consultation will run to 31 January 2025.