15 June 2018

Dear Colleague

Consultation on the Renting Homes (Fees etc.) (Wales) Bill

The Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee is undertaking an inquiry into the general principles of the Renting Homes (Fees etc.) (Wales) Bill. Further details about the Bill and the accompanying Explanatory Memorandum can be found on the Bill page.

Terms of reference

In scrutinising the general principles of the Bill at Stage 1, the Committee has the following terms of reference:

To consider:

- the general principles of the Renting Homes (Fees etc.) (Wales) Bill and the need for legislation to deliver the stated policy intention. In coming to a view on this you may wish to consider addressing the individual Parts of the Bill:

- Part 2 – Prohibition of certain payments etc

- Part 3 – Treatment of holding deposits

- Part 4 – Enforcement

- Part 5 – Recovery of amount by contract-holder

- Part 6 – Publicising letting agents fees

- Part 7 – Final Provisions

- Schedule 1 – Permitted payments

- Schedule 2 – Treatment of holding deposit

- any potential barriers to the implementation of the Bill’s provisions and whether the Bill takes account of them,

- the appropriateness of the powers in the Bill for Welsh Ministers to make subordinate legislation (as set out in Chapter 6 of Part 1 of the Explanatory Memorandum).

- whether there are any unintended consequences arising from the Bill, and

- the financial implications of the Bill (as set out in Part 2 of the Explanatory Memorandum).

Invitation to contribute to the inquiry

The Committee would like to invite you to submit written evidence to assist in its consideration of the Bill. It would be helpful if you could use the above terms of reference to frame your response.

Submissions should arrive Friday 7 September 2018.

If you wish to submit evidence, please send an electronic copy of your submission to: SeneddCommunities@assembly.wales

Guidance

Submissions should be no longer than five sides of A4, with numbered paragraphs, and should focus on the terms of reference.

If you are responding on behalf of an organisation, please provide a brief description of the role of your organisation.

Please see the guidance for those providing evidence for committees.

Bilingual Policy

The Committee welcomes contributions in both or either of our official languages, English and Welsh. Information not submitted bilingually will not be translated and will be published in the language of submission only. We expect organisations to implement their own standards and schemes and to comply with their statutory obligations.

Disclosure of Information

You can find further details about how we will use your information at www.assembly.wales/InquiryPrivacy. Please ensure that you have considered these details carefully before submitting information to the Committee.

Contact details

If you wish to speak to someone regarding this consultation, please use the following contact details:

Committee Clerk

Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee

National Assembly for Wales

Cardiff Bay, CF99 1NA.

Email: SeneddCommunities@assembly.wales
Telephone: 0300 200 6565

Yours sincerely,

John Griffiths AM

Chair, Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee