Form RHW12 Wales: How to Complete the Rent Increase Notice

What Is Form RHW12?

Form RHW12 is the prescribed "Notice of Variation of Rent" under the Renting Homes (Prescribed Forms) (Wales) Regulations 2022. For the statutory rent-variation route on a periodic standard contract in Wales, use Form RHW12 or another notice substantially to the same effect. The landlord and contract-holder may also agree a rent variation in writing; the landlord must provide a written statement of variation within 14 days of it taking effect. An English Section 13 notice is not the prescribed Welsh notice, and email service requires prior written consent.

The form is prescribed under Regulation 15 of S.I. 2022/244. Regulation 3(2) allows a notice substantially to the same effect as the official version — but omitting mandatory parts, removing the statutory guidance notes on page two, or modifying the warnings will invalidate it. Download the current official bilingual or English form directly from the Welsh Government portal at gov.wales.

Part-by-Part Walkthrough

Form RHW12 has six parts. Every one must be completed accurately.

Part A: Contract Type

Tick Periodic standard contract. Private landlords must never tick "Secure contract" — that applies only to community landlords (local authorities and housing associations). Ticking the wrong box is a fatal error.

Part B: Landlord Details

Enter the landlord's full legal name and physical address. If the landlord is a company, use the full corporate name and registered office address. The details must match the Rent Smart Wales register.

Part C: Contract-Holder Details

List every joint contract-holder currently party to the occupation contract by their full legal name. If there are two contract-holders on the written statement, both names go in Part C and both must be served individually.

Part D: Dwelling Address

The full postal address of the rented property.

Part E: Rent Variation

Three figures go here:

1. The current rent being paid
2. The proposed new rent
3. The date from which the new rent is payable

The effective date must be after two full calendar months have elapsed from deemed service, and at least 12 months after the last rent variation took effect. If either threshold is short by even one day, the notice is defective.

Part F: Signature and Date

The landlord (or an authorised agent acting under express written authority in the management contract) signs and dates the form. If an agent signs, state the capacity — "Signed by [Agent Name] as authorised agent for [Landlord Name]."

Common Mistakes That Invalidate the Notice

• Ticking "Secure contract" in Part A when the property is a private letting.
• Missing a joint contract-holder in Part C — every person named on the written statement must appear.
• Setting an effective date too early — less than two months' notice or within 12 months of the last increase.
• Removing the page-two guidance notes — the statutory notes explaining the contract-holder's rights must stay attached.
• Signing without authority — a letting agent who lacks express written authority in their agency agreement cannot execute the form.

Where to Download It

The only safe source is the Welsh Government portal. Third-party templates on Etsy, Canva or document portals sometimes modify the form layout or omit the bilingual guidance notes. If the form is not "substantially to the same effect" as the prescribed version, the notice fails.

For the full completion workflow — including the date calculation worksheet, a service log template and the pre-notice compliance audit — see the Wales Rent Increase Guide.

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