Focus on rural housing challenges at the Anglesey Show

Anglesey Show
Anglesey Show

At the Anglesey Show next week, CLA Cymru will call on Welsh Government to act now to avoid damaging the rural economy as changes to housing legislation come into force.

CLA Cymru – which represents landowners, farmers and rural businesses across Wales – will use the agricultural show as a platform to highlight the cumulative effects of the new Housing (Wales) Act and the proposed Renting Homes Bill on the rural economy in Wales.

CLA Cymru Director Rebecca Williams said: “The new Housing Wales Act comes into effect this Autumn but rural businesses still lack clarity from Government on its implementation. This is making business planning – and critical investment decisions – impossible. The additional administrative burdens will make it more difficult for rural landlords to provide high quality affordable rental property, and it is hard to see much benefit for people living and working in rural Wales.”

Ms Williams added: “The Welsh Government aspiration of simplifying the private rented sector through the proposed Rented Homes Bill could actually have the opposite effect on some households. For example, renters in joint tenancies could be caught in agreements they can no longer afford when one or more party leaves the household. Government must recognise the impact of the legislative changes on the rural economy and work with rural businesses to minimise damage to communities in the countryside.

Tim Bowie, Estate Manager at Bodorgan Estate in south west Anglesey and Chair of the CLA North Wales Branch, will explain the impact that the new Housing (Wales) Act is already having on this local business. This includes difficulties in planning for staff training and balancing the additional costs incurred by landlords when details of requirements are not available from Government.

Mr Bowie comments: “As a responsible landlord, the Bodorgan Estate will of course do everything in its power to comply with the new requirements. However it is difficult to see what benefit the tenant will see, this is an administrative data collection exercise and detracts from what we all want to do which is to provide high quality rental properties to the people of Anglesey.”