How to Issue a New Occupation Contract When a Fixed Term Expires in Wales

When a fixed-term standard occupation contract expires in Wales, the contract doesn't end — it automatically converts into a periodic standard contract under section 184 of the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016. The contract-holder stays, the contract continues on a rolling basis, and the landlord faces a new set of obligations. You don't need to serve notice for the conversion to happen, and you can't prevent it by doing nothing.

What you do need is a new written statement that reflects the periodic standard contract terms, delivered within 14 days of the periodic contract commencing. The term structure changes at conversion — fixed-term fundamental terms are replaced by periodic fundamental terms — and a written statement that still references the fixed-term structure is non-compliant. Miss the 14-day window and Section 87 compensation applies: one day's rent for every day of delay, up to two months' rent.

What Happens Automatically at Expiry

Under section 184, if neither party takes action before the fixed-term end date, the contract automatically converts to a periodic standard contract on the day after the fixed term ends. The periodic contract inherits the same rental amount, the same dwelling, and the same parties, but the legal framework changes:

Notice periods change. Under the periodic standard contract, the landlord can serve a no-fault notice under section 173 with six months' notice, but cannot serve it during the first six months of occupation. Time spent in occupation under the preceding fixed-term contract counts toward that period. The contract-holder can give four weeks' notice at any time.

Possession routes differ. Periodic standard contracts carry the section 173 no-fault route alongside the Act's other possession grounds. During a fixed term, the landlord cannot use section 173; earlier possession depends on an applicable statutory ground or break clause. Section 186 provides an end-of-term route for fixed-term contracts within Schedule 9B.

Fundamental terms change. The model written statement for a periodic standard contract contains different fundamental terms from the fixed-term model. Most notably, the periodic model includes the section 173 no-fault notice provisions, which weren't operative during the fixed term.

The Three Paths at Fixed-Term Expiry

Path 1: Let It Convert to Periodic (Most Common)

The contract converts automatically. You issue a new written statement based on the periodic standard model (the version published 29 May 2026, which includes sections 54A and 54B), complete the Key Matters, and deliver it within 14 days of the periodic contract's commencement date.

This is the simplest path and the one most self-managing landlords in Wales take. The contract-holder stays on a rolling basis, and you retain the six-month no-fault notice option if you later need to recover possession.

What you need to do:

1. Download the current periodic standard model written statement from gov.wales
2. Complete the Key Matters — the occupation date is now the commencement date of the periodic contract (the day after the fixed term ends)
3. Review and update any supplementary term variations that carried over from the fixed-term arrangement
4. Deliver the completed written statement within 14 days, using one of the three statutory delivery methods
5. Retain proof of delivery

Path 2: Issue a New Fixed Term

If both parties agree, you can enter into a new fixed-term standard contract. This isn't an automatic conversion — it requires a new agreement. You complete the fixed-term model written statement, both parties agree to the terms, and the new fixed term begins.

This path makes sense when the landlord wants rental income for a defined period and the contract-holder wants occupancy certainty. The tradeoff: the fixed term generally binds the parties until its end date unless an applicable break clause, an agreed early end, or another statutory possession route applies. At the end of the new fixed term, you're back to the same conversion question.

What you need to do:

1. Agree the new fixed-term duration with the contract-holder in writing
2. Complete the current fixed-term model written statement
3. Deliver within 14 days of the new occupation date
4. Repeat the deposit Prescribed Information if the deposit arrangements change

Path 3: Recover Possession

If you don't want the contract to continue, check whether the fixed-term standard contract is within Schedule 9B. For an eligible contract, section 186 allows the landlord to give notice before or on the last day of the term that the contract-holder must give up possession on a specified date. The notice must give at least two months and cannot specify a date before the end of the fixed term.

If section 186 is unavailable or you miss the notice window and the contract converts to periodic, section 173 requires six months' notice. Its first-six-month restriction runs from the occupation date, including time already spent under the fixed-term contract. If the contract-holder has already occupied for six months, the landlord can serve section 173 after conversion; possession cannot be sought until the six-month notice period has run.

The Written Statement Deadline After Conversion

The 14-day delivery rule under section 31 applies to the new periodic contract that forms on conversion. The period starts on the periodic contract's occupation date, which falls immediately after the fixed-term end date.

Example: Fixed term ends on 31 January. The periodic contract's occupation date is 1 February. Day 1 of the 14-day period is 1 February. The written statement must be delivered by midnight on 14 February.

The original fixed-term written statement does not satisfy this obligation. The periodic model contains different fundamental terms, and the Key Matters need updating to reflect the periodic structure.

Common Mistakes at Fixed-Term Expiry

Doing nothing about the written statement. The contract converts automatically, but the written statement doesn't update itself. Many landlords assume the original written statement remains valid. It doesn't — the term classification changes, and if no compliant statement is delivered within 14 days, Section 87 compensation is calculated for each day from the occupation date until the statement is provided, up to two months' rent.

Issuing a "renewal" of the old fixed-term statement. There's no concept of renewal in the Renting Homes framework for an automatic conversion. The periodic contract is a new contract form that requires a written statement based on the periodic model. Reissuing the fixed-term document with an updated date doesn't meet the statutory requirement.

Missing the section 186 notice window. If you want to end the letting at the fixed-term end date, the notice must be served with at least two months' lead time. Serving it a month before expiry is too late — the minimum notice period hasn't been met, the notice is invalid, and the contract converts to periodic.

Forgetting to update supplementary term variations. If the fixed-term written statement varied any supplementary terms (pet permission, subletting restrictions, improvement provisions), those variations carry over into the periodic contract by operation of law. But the written statement still needs to reflect them accurately. If the variations aren't reproduced in the new periodic written statement, there's a mismatch between the contractual position and the documentation.

Who This Is For

• Landlords with a fixed-term standard contract approaching its expiry date in Wales
• Landlords whose fixed-term already expired and who haven't yet issued a periodic written statement
• Self-managing landlords navigating the conversion for the first time without a letting agent
• Landlords deciding between letting the contract convert to periodic or entering a new fixed term

Who This Is NOT For

• Landlords whose contract is already periodic — the conversion rules don't apply
• Tenants or contract-holders — Shelter Cymru and Citizens Advice Cymru cover your rights
• Landlords in England — fixed-term expiry operates differently under the Renters' Rights Act
• Anyone seeking legal advice on a possession claim tied to fixed-term expiry

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the contract-holder refuse the periodic conversion?

No. The conversion under section 184 is automatic and statutory. Neither party's consent is required. If the contract-holder wants to leave, they give four weeks' notice under the periodic standard contract terms. If you want to end the arrangement, you serve notice under section 173 or an appropriate ground.

Do I need to protect the deposit again after conversion?

If the deposit is already protected in an authorised scheme and the protection hasn't lapsed, you don't need to re-protect it. The deposit protection carries over from the fixed-term to the periodic contract. However, you should verify that the Prescribed Information on file still reflects the current contractual terms — if the rental amount or payment method changed, update the Prescribed Information.

What if the contract-holder wants different terms for the periodic contract?

Any change to supplementary terms requires written agreement between both parties. If the contract-holder wants to vary the pet provision or subletting terms, negotiate and agree the variation in writing, then reflect it in the periodic written statement. Fundamental terms cannot be varied regardless of what either party wants.

How does the six-month restriction on section 173 notices work after conversion?

Under section 173, the landlord cannot serve a no-fault notice during the first six months of occupation. The period counts time under the fixed-term contract too; it does not restart when the periodic contract begins. So if a 12-month fixed term ends on 31 January, the contract-holder has already occupied for more than six months and the landlord can serve section 173 after the periodic contract starts on 1 February. The notice itself then requires six months, so possession cannot be sought until that notice period has run.

The Occupation Contracts in Wales guide includes a contract type decision framework that maps the operational consequences of periodic versus fixed-term standard contracts, the 14-day delivery compliance protocol for the new written statement, and a term classification matrix to help you carry over supplementary variations correctly.

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