Senedd Elections 2026: Leaders' pledges to you
With the Welsh elections almost upon us, we reached out to housing spokespeople from each of the major political parties, offering them the opportunity to share their vision for the future of the Welsh private rented sector directly with you.
While the Welsh Conservatives, the Wales Green Party and Welsh Liberal Democrats did not respond, Welsh Labour, Plaid Cymru and Reform UK, have outlined their proposals should they be victorious at the polls on 7th May.
John Griffiths, Chair of the Senedd’s Local Housing and Government and Housing Committee has also shared his reflections on this Senedd term – and the key challenges remaining in the sector.
Labour: Jayne Bryant, Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government:
The cost of living is the biggest issue facing many families – and a home is the foundation for everything else. The pressure on housing is real: we know we don’t have enough homes in Wales.
Over the past five years, the Welsh Government has invested £2 billion and delivered almost 20,000 additional homes for rent in the social sector, the vast majority of which are very low carbon. It was more than statisticians said would be needed, with changes in household formation the main driver of demand. But completions in the private sector have been much lower than in previous decades, it wasn’t enough. We know some of the reasons - Brexit, the aftermath of Covid and the Liz Truss mini-budget had a negative impact on supply chains and market confidence. But planning a long-term step change is going to require everyone involved to work together.
That is why an incoming Welsh Labour Government will establish a new National Housing Taskforce to drive delivery and create balanced communities, building on the work of the Affordable Homes Taskforce.
We will want it to look at reforms to the planning system, how to drive faster adoption of modern methods of construction and reforms to contracting and financing within the sector. The overall target is clear: we need another 100,000 homes over the next decade, at least 40,000 of which will need to be affordable homes. But the split will depend on the economy – a third social, a third to buy and a third to rent could work, especially if most of those to rent are affordable. The private rented sector can and must play a part in that expansion and we will want to invite National Residential Landlords Association to be part of that taskforce.
Of course, building more homes isn’t the only answer: we have invested and will continue to invest in our existing homes, especially to improve energy efficiency and building safety. Councils can now charge premiums on empty and second homes and regulate holiday lets. Our Empty Home grants are helping owners bring properties back into use. Our Help to Buy scheme is helping those that want to move into ownership and we will expand it to cover a wider range of properties. Our Warm Homes Nest scheme supports lower income households in energy inefficient homes who are at risk of fuel poverty (both owner occupiers and those living in private rented homes).
Renting makes sense to many people for a variety of reasons: it supports people who need to move for work, training or education. We need good landlords who look after their tenants. That’s what our Renting Homes Act was about – ensuring all landlords know what they are doing and provide a good service to tenants. Despite forecasts that many landlords would exit the market, property registrations have been increasing, as has the average size of landlord portfolios. We have legislated for a new building safety framework and we will explore further measures to help renters, leaseholders and new-build residents: a guarantor scheme, rules around pet insurance, scores-on-the-doors for lettings agencies, tackling charges for unadopted roads and a new framework to address building defects.
Thank you for your contribution. There is more to do and I look forward to continuing to work with you.
Photo credit: Senedd Commission/Comisiwn y Senedd
Plaid Cymru: Sian Gwenllian, Plaid Cymru housing spokesperson:
Housing is not just another policy area, but it is the foundation of economic stability, public health, and community sustainability in Wales. Yet that foundation is under increasing strain. Wales faces a combination of structural challenges: an undersupply of housing, rising rents, ageing and energy-inefficient stock, and a sharp rise in fuel poverty.
Around a quarter of households are now estimated to be in fuel poverty, driven by low incomes, high energy costs, and the poor condition of much of our housing. The private rented sector is an essential part of the overall system alongside social housing and home ownership. It provides flexibility and capacity where demand cannot otherwise be met. However, the sector is operating within increasingly complex pressures.
A significant proportion of privately rented homes in Wales fall below EPC C, and upgrading them is often more technically difficult and costly than in other parts of the UK due to the age and construction of the housing stock. Proposed requirements to reach EPC C by 2030, combined with a reduced cost cap, now set at £10,000 rather than £15,000, and in some cases limited further by a 10% property value threshold, raise legitimate questions about deliverability, particularly in lower-value markets.
These challenges are compounded by the UK Government’s Warm Homes Programme. Despite being presented as a £15 billion investment, there remains a lack of clarity on how the programme will operate in Wales. It is still unclear what level of Barnett consequential funding will be available, when it will be released, and how it will interact with devolved schemes. Recent indications suggest Wales may receive £17 million in 2026–27, rising to £26 million in subsequent years from the £1.5 billion uplift, but the position regarding the remaining £13.2 billion remains unresolved.
Crucially, elements of the policy appear to be based on limited Wales-specific data. The UK Government’s own impact assessment assumes Wales follows UK averages due to a lack of robust data, meaning there is no clear estimate of how many Welsh homes will be upgraded or how many households could be lifted out of fuel poverty. This creates significant uncertainty for policymakers and for landlords expected to invest in improvements without a clear evidence base or long-term framework.
Housing pressures also differ markedly across Wales. Urban areas face acute affordability challenges, with private rents increasing by 8.7% across Wales and significantly more in some locations. In rural and traditional communities, the issues centre on availability and access, with second homes and external demand reducing the supply of housing for local people. These dynamics require a place-based policy response, rather than a uniform approach.
For the Private Rent Sector to function effectively, policy must be grounded in realism and evidence. This includes improving the quality of housing data in Wales through a Welsh specific survey and better monitoring, enabling more accurate assessments of need and impact. It also requires a clear, stable framework for energy efficiency improvements, one that recognises the constraints of the Welsh housing stock and supports delivery in practice.
Above all, there is a need for greater clarity, coordination, and respect for devolution. Decisions that directly affect housing in Wales must be informed by Welsh conditions and developed in partnership with Welsh institutions. Without this, there is a risk that well-intentioned policies will have unintended consequences for both landlords and tenants, and for the sustainability of the wider housing system.
Photo credit: Senedd Commission/Comisiwn y Senedd
Reform UK: Dan Thomas, Reform UK Leader in Wales
Reform supports landlords and recognises the importance of the private rented sector to making housing affordable and accessible across Wales. In some high-tourism areas the growth of second homes has reduced availability for full-time residents.
While that is a problem we all have to face up to, we also have to recognise that the underlying problem is insufficient housing supply. So Reform will increase housing delivery by imposing firm decision deadlines on councils, strengthening the presumption in favour of development where supply is inadequate, and allowing modest, well-designed extensions to settlements in high-demand areas.
The private rented sector plays a vital role in supporting economic activity in Wales.
As well as making a significant economic contribution in its own right (£1.6bn Gross Value Added per year), the availability of rental properties in proximity to employment and education hubs also facilitates labour mobility and access to education and training.
This is critical for employees and employers alike.The fact is that some people may not be in a position to buy a property, whether it’s a financial constraint, a family situation, or perhaps they aren’t ready to settle in one place yet. We know that Wales faces a serious housing shortage. We need at least 10,000 additional homes just to catch up to where we should be. A Reform Welsh Government will speed up planning and intervene where councils fail to deliver the homes their communities need.
Currently the planning system works for no one. We will amend the Planning Policy Wales, and relevant legislation, to impose clear time limits, limit repeat consultations, and expedite decisions’
Wales is subject to specific requirements that offer no safety benefits and push up costs. Regulations criticised by housebuilders are adding thousands of pounds to building costs, pushing up house prices, and making homes unaffordable in parts of Wales.
We will also oppose Plaid’s plans to devolve and increase immigration levels to Wales, because we believe this will put even greater pressure on our housing stock.
The demonisation of landlords by some sections of the left doesn’t recognise that landlords are filling an important space in the housing market.
If Reform wins the Senedd election, we will turbocharge housebuilding, and allow communities across Wales to benefit from attractive new homes that suit our landscape. And we will work with landlords to ensure they can continue to provide safe homes for people who are renting.
Photo credit: Local Democracy Reporting Service
John Griffiths, former Senedd Member and Chair of the Local Government and Housing Committee
One of the key priorities for the Local Government and Housing Committee during the Sixth Senedd term was the delivery and availability of appropriate housing.
We conducted a number of inquiries to understand how this can best be achieved, and the testimonies we heard underscore just how important it is that everyone in Wales has access to good-quality, appropriate and affordable housing. Given the fundamental importance of housing to all aspects of life I am pleased that the Committee put on record our support for the Right to Adequate Housing.
In 2023-24, we undertook an inquiry into the private rented sector, recognising the increasingly large role it plays in meeting housing needs in Wales. As I step down from my role as Chair, it is clear that many of the issues we explored are still relevant today and may call for further action from a future Welsh Government.
Key challenges for the private rented sector
Our inquiry on the private rented sector explored a wide range of issues, including the challenges facing private landlords and the effectiveness of the regulatory system.
Some of the key challenges which emerged were:
- The quality and condition of homes, including problems relating to damp and mould;
- The affordability of rent, with the Committee hearing strong arguments both for and against rent regulation;
- Barriers experienced by prospective tenants who need guarantors, own pets, or who have support or accessibility needs;
- Recent regulatory and tax changes, and their impact on landlords; and
- Issues relating to the security of tenure, including concerns around “no-fault” evictions
Since we concluded our inquiry, we have seen the introduction of measures through the Renters Rights Act 2025 which aim to tackle some of these challenges in England, leading to some divergences in approach across the two nations.
We have suggested in our legacy report that issues around affordability and quality in particular are ones which a successor Committee may wish to consider in more depth. We also think it may be beneficial to undertake post-legislative scrutiny of the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016, including its impact on the private rented sector.
Retrofitting and decarbonisation
One issue which is likely to demand swift action from the next Welsh Government is decarbonisation. The Committee heard that retrofitting homes in Wales is likely to present particular challenges, given the age and profile of our housing stock.
The recent publication of the UK Government’s Warm Homes plan has provided more clarity about the road ahead, along with new consequential funding for devolved governments. With a new Net Zero plan due this year, it is likely the next Welsh Government will need to set out whether and how it will support landlords to decarbonise their properties.
What role should the private rented sector play in future?
In our inquiry, we reflected on the growth of the private rented sector over the past 25 years, and the crucial part it now plays in providing homes for families in Wales.
We noted that the Welsh Government did not appear have a clear vision for the future of the private rented sector, nor what its role should be within our wider housing system. The Committee concluded that one of the most effective ways to alleviate some of the pressures on the private rented sector, particularly in relation to affordability, would be to increase the supply of social housing in Wales.
In order to ensure effective and cohesive policy-making across tenures, a future Welsh Government will need to decide on what role it believes the private rented sector should play in our housing system and what mechanisms may need to be in place to support that vision.
Photo credit: Senedd Commission/Comisiwn y Senedd
Who will triumph come 7th May?
With just two weeks to go until 7th May, current polls are indicating that no party is likely to gain overall control of the Senedd. We are following the campaign closely and will be updating you once the results are in, for more on what they willmean for you and your business.
