02920 829 100 
What to do when your tenant stops paying rent – tips for landlords in Wales
February 19, 2026
By Heledd Evans
*This article relates to residential property in Wales
A tenant who stops paying rent can be a very concerning issue for landlords in Wales, especially with the relatively new legal landscape under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016. It is essential that residential landlords in Wales understand this Act to ensure that they follow the necessary process when dealing with a tenant who has stopped paying rent.
Generally, when a “contract‑holder” (a tenant) has two months or more of rent arrears, a notice can be served to give them 14 days to vacate the premises (providing that certain requirements and time restrictions are met).
Our expert Heledd outlines important practical steps that landlords should take from the outset, as soon as rent is missed:
If a rental payment is missed, it is always important to contact the contract-holder to see if the situation can be dealt with without the need to escalate matters. In most cases, a missed rent payment can be resolved quickly with communication. It is important to keep communication open and transparent so that any financial issues can be dealt with appropriately.
Landlords should make sure to keep a careful record of the correspondence in case it ever is needed as evidence in possession proceedings. If the tenant is struggling financially, you can signpost towards relevant advice or agencies.
If an informal email or message to the contract holder has not cleared the issue, a landlord may then consider issuing a formal rent statement to show them the rent arrears that are due. This should set out the arrears, the period for which the rent is due as well as a clear deadline to pay the rent arrears. This is an important practical step which can be helpful if the matter does escalate to court proceedings, to demonstrate the steps that have been taken to collect the missing rent.
Sometimes a contract-holder may ask to form a repayment plan with the landlord to gradually re-pay the arrears. If this is accepted, a short repayment plan should be drafted and signed by the parties to ensure this is properly recorded and to avoid any future disagreements.
If the contract holder continues to miss rental payments, it may become necessary to issue a formal notice. This notice seeks possession of the property (when the rent has been missed for two months or as per the contract) and the rent arrears can also be sought as part of that claim. There are some time restrictions that can prevent a landlord form serving the notice, so it is important to carefully review the guidance under the Renting Homes Wales Act before serving a notice.
The notice will give the contract holder 14 days of notice before possession proceedings can then begin and any claim must be issued within 6 months of the notice date.
There are very strict rules for issuing and serving a formal notice and these rules must be complied with very carefully to ensure that the notice is valid. It is always best to obtain legal advice to ensure the circumstances allow a notice to be served, to ensure the notice is accurately drafted, the form of the notice is correct and the service of the notice is valid.
It is very important to keep a record of the proof of postage in case legal arguments arise that the notice was never served.
If the notice does not prompt the repayment of the rent, landlords can then issue possession proceedings to recover possession of the property and to seek a repayment of the rent as part of the judgment.
In any such claim, it is essential to have clear evidence of arrears, including:
For landlords in Wales, it can feel like a stressful process to redeem rent arrears from a contract holder. The key for landlords it to ensure that you have taken careful practical steps throughout the process so that you are fully compliant with your obligations.
If serving a notice and issuing court proceedings does become necessary, landlords must be aware that there are very strict legal rules that must be followed to ensure that everything is compliant. Seeking legal advice can help to ensure that all the necessary formalities have been followed and to guide a smooth process.
For bespoke advice or assistance on any of the above, contact our expert, Heledd Evans on 029 2082 9106 or hevans@darwingray.com for a free initial chat to see how we can help you.
To speak to one of our experts today, please contact us on 02920 829 100 or by using our Contact Us form for a free initial chat to see how we can help.
