Committee publication · Correspondence · 25 June 2026
Correspondence from the National Residential Landlord Association on homelessness in Wales
From: Welsh Affairs Committee
Summary
The National Residential Landlord Association (NRLA) writes to the Welsh Affairs Committee following a February 2026 oral evidence session on housing and homelessness in Wales. The NRLA, representing 110,000 landlords managing over one million private rented homes, argues that the private rented sector is critical to preventing homelessness but faces contraction since the last Senedd election. The letter raises concerns about implementation of the Homelessness and Social Housing Allocation (Wales) Act, particularly the undefined "robust supply of housing" requirement and the ongoing freeze in Local Housing Allowance rates.
Key findings
- The private rented sector in Wales has contracted since the 2021 Senedd election, with 2,991 PRS properties lost between May 2021 and February 2026, with regional disparities—North Wales areas like Anglesey and Wrexham experiencing 11% and 8% declines respectively
- The removal of the intentionality test under the new homelessness law is contingent on undefined 'robust' supply of housing; Welsh Government has not clarified what this means or whether it applies uniformly or by targeted local authority approach
- LHA rates frozen since April 2024 while market rents in Wales rose from £727 to £828 monthly; 48,000 of 73,000 Universal Credit households in Wales have rents not covered by LHA, forcing difficult choices between rent and essentials
- NRLA research shows 36% of landlords currently letting at LHA rates plan to raise rents above LHA, and 17% plan to sell LHA-rated properties on the open market if freeze continues
- The NRLA expresses disappointment at not being afforded oral evidence opportunity despite extensive frontline experience of the private rented sector and homelessness prevention work
Tone
ProceduralTopics
Key actors
Ben Beadle, Ruth Jones MP, National Residential Landlord Association (NRLA), Welsh Government, Shelter, Crisis, Chartered Institute of Housing, Cover the Cost Coalition
Notable line
“Despite the Bill now having passed the Senedd, the Welsh Government have still not defined what a "robust" supply of housing looks like or how it plans to get there.”
Key Quotes
“The private rented sector now houses nearly one in five Welsh households. It plays a critical role in preventing homelessness by providing flexibility, supporting labour mobility, and housing those unable to access social housing or home ownership.”
“Despite the Bill now having passed the Senedd, the Welsh Government have still not defined what a "robust" supply of housing looks like or how it plans to get there.”
“… of the over 73,000 households in receipt of Universal Credit in Wales, LHA does not cover the rent for 48,000 of these 3 . Consequently, these households face choices between covering rent due to the shortfalls caused by the freeze, and other essential expenses.”
“… in response to the LHA freeze, of those landlords currently letting at LHA rates: o 36% of landlords stated they will raise rents on at least some property above the LHA rate. o 29% will continue to let at LHA rates.”
“In light of the Committee's recent session , and our extensive work on homelessness in Wales, we feel it is an oversight to not afford NRLA the opportunity to provide oral evidence and share our members' frontline experience of the Welsh private rented sector - particularly in relation …”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗