Wales

We aim to cover leasehold law in Wales in the advice on our website, and to make it clear where there are differences between England and Wales. To find advice for Wales, use our website to browse to the relevant topic.

We also provide Welsh language versions of some of our guides.

Much of the legislation on leasehold is the same in Wales and England. However, in some cases the Welsh Government passes separate legislation to bring law into force in Wales.

Notices

There are differences in the content and format of certain notices in Wales and England, including:

• ground rent demand notices
• the summary of rights and obligations that accompanies a demand for service charges
• notices served under the right to manage
• notices of insurance cover for leasehold houses
• notices for buying the freehold of a leasehold house or extending the lease of a house

Leasehold Valuation Tribunal

The Leasehold Valuation Tribunal deals with leasehold disputes in Wales. It is separate from the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber), which covers England only.

See our guides on:

• applying to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal
• types of Leasehold Valuation Tribunal application

Codes of practice

The Welsh Government can approve codes of practice for the management of residential property. The codes approved in Wales are:

• The Service Charge Residential Management Code, 1st edition, published by the RICS and brought into force in 1997 through the Approval of Codes of Management Practice (Residential Property) Order 1996 (later editions of the RICS code have not yet been approved in Wales)
• The Code of Practice for Private Retirement Housing (Wales) published by the ARHM in 2010, and brought into force through the Approval of Code of Practice (Private Retirement Housing) (Wales) Order 2007

The Welsh Government Leaseholder Legal Advisory Scheme provides first-stage legal support for fire safety issues for leaseholders in Wales.

You qualify for the scheme if your building:

• is in Wales
• has a fire safety issue
• at least 11 metres high

If you qualify, the scheme can provide you with up to 3 hours of legal support and 2 letters or emails.

To be referred to the scheme, contact LEASE.

Paying for historic fire safety defects in Wales

We provide Welsh language versions of some of our main introductory guides to common leasehold issues:

• Cyflwyniad i lesddaliad (Introduction to leasehold)
• Gwybodaeth am daliadau gwasanaeth (About service charges)
• Ymestyn les: dechrau arni (Lease extension: getting started)
• Prynu rhydd-ddaliad tŷ lesddaliad (Buying the freehold of a leasehold house)
• Gwybodaeth am yr hawl i reoli (About the right to manage)