ON February 9, the Minister for Communities and Tackling Poverty, Lesley Griffiths AM, introduced the Renting Homes (Wales) Bill to the National Assembly for Wales.

As more people than ever now rent their homes - in fact, one in three people in Wales live in rented accommodation - this Bill is an extremely relevant and important piece of legislation.

The Bill aims to make the law for renting a home in Wales clearer and simpler for everyone and will require all landlords in Wales to provide an easy-to-understand written statement of contract. This will help ensure that both landlords and those renting are aware of their rights and responsibilities from the start.

The Bill will also support vulnerable tenants and those who find themselves in difficult circumstances.

The Minister in her statement to the Assembly explained that, ‘it cannot be right … for a victim of domestic abuse to risk homelessness in order for the perpetrator to be evicted’.

The Bill will therefore help protect victims of domestic violence by ensuring that the perpetrators of violence can be evicted from the rental contract, without having to remove the victim.

This will put an end to the situation whereby victims of domestic abuse can become homeless through no fault of their own.

The Minister also expressed concern that it is ‘currently impossible for a 16 or 17-year-old to rent on the same basis as someone over 18.’

As a result, the Renting Homes Bill will enable 16 and 17 year olds to rent their own property for the first time.

The Bill also introduces more flexibility - making it easier for people to rent for short-term periods and encourages landlords to rent to tenants who may have become homeless and are in need of a safe, secure home they can afford.

This Bill is a ground-breaking and extremely significant piece of legislation that, if passed, will go a long way in ensuring that our rented housing sector is fit for purpose for the benefit of the one million people in Wales who rent their home.

The Bill will proceed through the National Assembly's legislative process and could receive Royal Assent by early 2016.