Generation Rent has set out its agenda for housing reform in Wales, publishing a manifesto ahead of the Senedd elections in May.

 Among its top demands are stricter limits on rent rises, measures to end “unfair evictions,” and a compensation scheme for tenants who lose their homes.

It says private tenants in Wales “are at constant risk of sudden evictions or rent hikes.  

“High rents leave nothing for the single parent trapped between their rocketing bills and the price of the roof over their head. Nothing for the pensioner, who is forced to stay in a cold and damp home, because it’s better than no home at all.”

The group points out that, despite what it calls “soaring rental costs” in Wales, the latest Welsh Housing Conditions Survey shows the country has the oldest housing stock in the UK. Privately rented homes are in the poorest condition, with 43% built before 1919, nearly a quarter containing serious hazards, and 13% affected by damp.

The activist says: “At the same time Section 173 evictions [of the 2016 Renting Homes (Wales) Act] mean landlords can evict renters in Wales without reason, leaving them more vulnerable to arbitrary or retaliatory evictions than tenants anywhere else in Britain. These types of evictions were banned in Scotland in 2017 and have been outlawed in England’s Renters Rights Act. When renters are not secure in their homes, the impact ripples across society, forcing people into homelessness and poverty. Every party running in the Welsh elections next year must therefore commit to outlawing Section 173.”

Generation Rent argues that tenants face significant financial burdens when forced to move. According to the group, the average private renter household pays around £1,543 in relocation costs. These expenses include new deposits, overlapping rent payments, moving fees, and even lost income from time taken off work.

The campaign is urging political parties to adopt stronger protections for renters. Specifically, it wants parties to commit to policies ensuring that when a landlord serves a Section 137 eviction notice, tenants receive compensation to offset the financial strain of being displaced.

It wants landlords to: “Waive rent for the first two months of the notice period. This would give tenants the breathing space they need to find a new home without falling into debt or homelessness.”