CIH Cymru welcomes new rent standard, creating certainty for tenants and social landlords in Wales 

The cabinet secretary for local government, Jane Bryant, has announced a new rent standard for the social housing sector in Wales from 2026.

CIH Cymru has welcomed the announcement of the new 10-year standard, which provides longer-term certainty to both tenants and social landlords. 

‘Greater clarity and consistency’ 

Commenting on the announcement, Matt Dicks, national director of CIH Cymru, said: “Affordability, for both current and future tenants in social housing settings, should rightly be at placed at the heart of rent setting in Wales, and CIH Cymru particularly welcomes the cabinet secretary’s commitment to developing an affordability framework, which will bring greater clarity and consistency to rent setting practices across Wales. 

“The 10-year rent settlement, with rents set at CPI+1 per cent from 2026, alongside a further commitment to undertake further analysis on rent convergence , should significantly strengthen the financial capacity of social landlords in Wales to support the development of new homes at social rent at the pace and scale needed to help us navigate out of our current housing and homelessness emergency. 

“The 10-year settlement will improve confidence and provide the necessary stability for the sector and for investors, allowing for fully effective business planning. 

“CIH Cymru, on behalf of its more than 800 members in Wales, is committed to working closely with the Welsh government as it further develops an affordability framework and reviews rent convergence.”