When a private renter is homeless or at risk
You may be homeless if you have no accommodation that you are entitled to occupy, or if it is not reasonable for you to continue living there. You may also be threatened with homelessness if you are likely to lose your home within 56 days. A landlord's notice, rent arrears, an unaffordable rent increase, serious disrepair or relationship breakdown can all be relevant, but the council will assess the facts of your case.
Make a homelessness application to the housing options or homelessness team at your local authority. There is no single national Wales homelessness application form, so the council may take your application online, by telephone, in person or on its own form. Ask for confirmation of the date you applied and explain any immediate safety or health risks.
What priority need means in Wales
Under the Housing (Wales) Act 2014, priority need is one of the tests used when a council decides what accommodation duty it owes. The council may consider you to have priority need if you are pregnant, responsible for dependent children, homeless because of an emergency such as a fire or flood, or vulnerable because of circumstances such as old age, mental illness, learning disability, physical disability or another special reason.[1]
Being a private renter does not remove priority need. The council should look at your individual circumstances and how homelessness affects you compared with an ordinary person who becomes homeless. Provide medical information, support-worker evidence and details of risks, care needs, medication, mobility problems or previous homelessness where relevant.
Families, pregnancy and vulnerability
If you are pregnant or have dependent children who normally live with you, tell the council immediately. A child does not always need to be physically present when you apply, but the council will consider the household arrangements. If you are vulnerable, explain the practical effects of your condition or circumstances, including difficulty finding accommodation, managing daily tasks or staying safe.
Ask the council to record every household member and any disability, illness, caring responsibility or support need. A professional supporting you can send evidence directly if you agree.
Eviction notices and private renting
A landlord cannot lawfully remove you by changing the locks or forcing you out without following the correct possession process. In Wales, most private rented homes are occupation contracts under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016. The notice and court process depend on the contract, the reason for possession and whether the landlord has complied with legal requirements.
RHW20 is the Welsh model notice requiring possession under section 173 for a no-fault possession route, where that route and its conditions apply. It is a landlord's possession notice, not a homelessness application. Other prescribed notices may be needed for rent arrears or a breach of contract. Keep the complete notice, envelope and any covering letter, and do not assume that a notice alone means you must leave immediately.
The Housing Act 1988 and Rent Act 1977 remain important legislation for some residential tenancies in England and Wales, but many Welsh occupation contracts are now governed by the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016.[2] Ask the council or an adviser to identify which rules apply to your agreement.
What to give the council
Give clear, dated information and copies where possible. If you cannot obtain a document, explain why and provide alternative evidence. The council must make inquiries, but your evidence can help it understand urgency and priority need.
- Your occupation contract, landlord details and any notice or court form.
- Rent records, arrears letters, payment receipts and evidence of income or benefits.
- Medical letters, care plans, support-worker statements and records of previous homelessness.
- Evidence of domestic abuse, harassment, unsafe conditions or risks connected with returning home.
- Important dates, including notice expiry, court hearings and when accommodation will become unavailable.
Temporary accommodation and council decisions
If the council has reason to believe you may be homeless, eligible and in priority need, it may have to provide interim accommodation while it investigates. This is not necessarily permanent housing, and you should tell the council immediately if the placement is unsafe, inaccessible or unsuitable for your household.
The council should give you written decisions explaining whether you are eligible, homeless, threatened with homelessness, in priority need and intentionally homeless. Intentional homelessness can be considered where someone deliberately did or failed to do something that caused them to lose accommodation that it would have been reasonable to continue occupying. Losing a private tenancy is not automatically intentional homelessness; the council must examine the reasons and circumstances.
Reviews and challenging a decision
You normally have 21 days from the date of a homelessness decision to request a review, although the decision letter should explain the deadline and method. Make the request in writing, identify the decision being challenged and explain why it is wrong. Include new evidence, such as medical information or proof that the notice was defective, and ask for accommodation while the review is considered if necessary.
If the review decision is unfavourable, ask for advice promptly about any appeal to the county court on a point of law. Housing disputes about rent, occupation contracts and landlord compliance may also fall within the jurisdiction of the Residential Property Tribunal Wales, but it does not replace the local authority homelessness application or review process.[3]
Relevant forms and official paperwork
- RHW20 notice requiring possession: this is used by a landlord for the section 173 possession route where applicable; keep it and check the dates and required information rather than treating it as an immediate eviction.
- Local authority homelessness application: Wales has no single prescribed national form; ask your council to accept the application and confirm it in writing, even if its own online or paper form is unavailable.
- Homelessness review request: there is no universal national form, so write to the council using the instructions in the decision letter and submit it within the stated deadline, normally 21 days.
- Court possession paperwork: if a landlord starts court proceedings, complete and return the response form named in the claim pack by its deadline, explaining your tenancy, payments, notice and any defence.
FAQ
- Can a private renter qualify for homelessness help in Wales?
- Yes. Private renters can apply to their local authority, which must assess homelessness, eligibility and other legal tests.
- Does a landlord's notice automatically prove priority need?
- No. A notice may show that homelessness is threatened, but priority need depends on your household and individual circumstances.
- What should I do if the council says I am not in priority need?
- Read the written decision, request a review within the stated deadline and provide evidence about your health, household, risks and ability to cope with homelessness.
- Can the council help if I have rent arrears?
- It may provide prevention advice or other assistance, but it will consider how the arrears arose and whether it was reasonable to remain in the accommodation.
How-To
- Contact your local authority homelessness team and explain that you are homeless or threatened with homelessness within 56 days.
- Make a homelessness application and request written confirmation of the application date.
- Send the council your contract, notices, payment records, medical evidence and a timeline of events.
- Record every deadline and attend appointments, temporary accommodation checks and court hearings.
- Request a review in writing within the deadline if you disagree with a homelessness decision.
Help and Support / Resources
- Welsh Government housing and homelessness information
- Residential Property Tribunal Wales
- Welsh Government Renting Homes guidance and forms
