Eviction in Wales: Section 173 Notice Rules

Wales still allows no-fault eviction. A landlord ends a standard occupation contract with a Section 173 notice, giving at least six months' notice, and cannot use it in the first six months of occupation or during a fixed term.

Information last verified on 18 July 2026. This page presents general legal information, not legal advice.

Jurisdiction scope: This page covers eviction from a private occupation contract in Wales only, under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016. It does not cover England, Scotland or Northern Ireland, which run different systems; see the links below for those nations. This is general information, not advice on your own contract.

What is an occupation contract in Wales?

Since 1 December 2022, most private renting in Wales has worked through the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016. The tenancy is called an occupation contract, and the tenant is a contract-holder rather than a tenant. The most common type for private renting is the standard contract, which a private landlord grants. An occupation contract can run for a fixed term or be periodic, and the terms that apply come from a mix of the written contract and terms implied by the 2016 Act itself. This is a different legal framework from England's assured tenancy system and from Scotland's Private Residential Tenancy, so terms and processes that apply elsewhere in the UK do not automatically apply to a Welsh occupation contract.

Does Wales still have a no-fault eviction notice?

Yes. Unlike England, where the Section 21 no-fault notice was abolished for the private rented sector on 1 May 2026, Wales has kept a no-fault eviction route under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016: the Section 173 notice. A landlord does not need to give a reason or prove a ground to use a Section 173 notice; they only need to follow the notice rules correctly. This makes Wales, for now, the only nation of the four still running a genuine no-fault eviction process for private renting.

How much notice does a Section 173 notice require?

A landlord must give the contract-holder a minimum of six months' notice under a Section 173 notice. The notice must specify the date the contract-holder is required to give up occupation, and that date cannot be earlier than six months after the notice is served. A landlord cannot shorten this period, and giving less than six months' notice makes the notice invalid.

When can a landlord not serve a Section 173 notice?

Two restrictions limit when a Section 173 notice can be used. First, a landlord cannot serve it during the first six months of the occupation contract, so a new contract-holder has an initial period free from a no-fault notice. Second, a landlord cannot serve a Section 173 notice at all while a fixed-term standard contract is still running; it can only be used once the fixed term has ended or on a periodic contract. Contracts that started on or after 1 December 2022 also give the contract-holder a minimum of 12 months' security from the start of the contract, provided they do not breach its terms, which works alongside these two restrictions to protect a contract-holder in the early part of a tenancy.

What makes a Section 173 notice invalid?

A Section 173 notice can fail even if the six-month notice period is correctly stated. Under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016, a notice is invalid if the landlord (or their letting agent) is not registered and licensed with Rent Smart Wales, the Welsh Government's scheme for private landlords and agents. A notice is also invalid if the landlord has not protected the contract-holder's deposit in an authorised scheme. These requirements exist alongside the six-month notice and timing rules, so a contract-holder facing a Section 173 notice should check both the notice period and whether the landlord is properly registered and has protected the deposit.

Can a landlord evict for rent arrears or bad behaviour instead?

Yes. Separately from the no-fault Section 173 route, a landlord can seek possession on breach grounds set out in the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016, such as serious rent arrears or antisocial behaviour. These grounds work differently from the no-fault notice: the landlord must show the ground applies, rather than simply relying on giving enough notice. A landlord can choose whichever route fits the circumstances, and in some cases may rely on more than one.

Who decides a possession case in Wales?

The county court decides possession cases in Wales, for both Section 173 no-fault notices and breach-ground cases. Serving a valid notice does not itself remove a contract-holder from the property; if the contract-holder does not leave by the date given, the landlord must apply to the county court for a possession order, and only a court-authorised process can lawfully enforce it. A landlord who changes the locks or removes a contract-holder without a court order is acting unlawfully, whatever notice was served.

How does eviction in Wales compare to the rest of the UK?

Wales is the only UK nation that still runs a genuine no-fault eviction notice for private renting. In England, the equivalent Section 21 notice was abolished on 1 May 2026, and landlords must now use a Section 8 ground decided by the County Court; see the eviction process in England. Scotland has never had a no-fault ground at all: every eviction ground is discretionary and cases go to the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland; see eviction in Scotland. Northern Ireland has no statutory ground requirement at all; a landlord serves a valid Notice to Quit, with notice periods set by how long the tenant has lived there; see eviction in Northern Ireland. None of these systems maps onto Wales's Section 173 process, so a rule from England, Scotland or Northern Ireland should never be assumed to apply to a Welsh occupation contract.

For the full four-nation comparison, see the UK tenant rights hub. For other Welsh and UK law topics, see the United Kingdom law hub.

This page is general legal information about eviction from a private occupation contract in Wales, verified on 18 July 2026. It is not legal advice, and how these rules apply depends on your own contract and circumstances. For advice, contact Shelter Cymru, Citizens Advice, or a solicitor. For related guides, see the UK tenant rights hub and the United Kingdom law hub.