RHW Notice Forms Wales: Which Form Does a Landlord Need?

Picking the wrong notice form in Wales doesn't just waste time — it makes your notice legally void. Under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016, landlords must use the correct prescribed RHW form for their specific situation, or the court will refuse possession. English forms (Section 21, Section 8) have no legal standing in Wales at all.

The forms are published by the Welsh Government under the Renting Homes (Prescribed Forms) (Wales) Regulations 2022. Here's which one you need.

The Core RHW Forms for Private Landlords

Form RHW16 — No-fault termination of a periodic standard contract. This is the workhorse form for most private landlords. Six months' minimum notice. Cannot be served in the first six months of occupation. You must file a court claim within two months of the notice expiry date. This is the section 173 notice.

Form RHW17 — No-fault termination of a periodic contract under Schedule 8A. Two months' notice, but restricted to specific contract types: higher education student accommodation, service occupancies, and supported housing. If you're a standard private residential landlord, this form is not available to you — even though the shorter notice period is tempting. Using RHW17 for an ordinary private letting produces a void notice.

Form RHW20 — Serious rent arrears notice. Issued under section 182 (periodic contracts) or section 188 (fixed-term). Only 14 days' notice, but the rent arrears must meet the statutory threshold on both the date you serve the notice and the date of the court hearing. If the contract-holder pays down the arrears below the threshold before the hearing, the mandatory ground falls away.

Form RHW22 — No-fault termination of a fixed-term contract within Schedule 9B. Two months' notice, but only available for Schedule 9B contracts (supported accommodation, temporary housing, service occupancies). Ordinary private fixed-term contracts cannot use this form.

Form RHW23 — Breach of contract, anti-social behaviour, or estate management grounds. One month's notice for breach and estate management. For anti-social behaviour or prohibited conduct, there's no waiting period — you can file a court claim immediately. General breach and anti-social behaviour grounds are discretionary; Schedule 8 estate management grounds may be mandatory or discretionary, depending on the ground.

Form RHW24 — Break clause notice for fixed-term contracts of two years or more. Six months' notice, and the break clause cannot be exercised during the first 18 months of occupation.

Form RHW27/RHW28 — Abandonment procedure. If you believe the contract-holder has abandoned the property, serve a four-week warning notice on Form RHW27. If no response after four weeks, Form RHW28 terminates the contract without a court order.

How to Choose Your Form

Start with two questions: what type of contract is it, and why do you need possession?

Periodic standard contract, no fault → RHW16 (six months' notice)

Periodic Schedule 8A contract, no fault → RHW17 (two months' notice)

Fixed-term Schedule 9B contract, no fault → RHW22 (two months' notice)

Fixed-term ≥ 2 years with break clause → RHW24 (six months' notice)

Any contract, serious rent arrears → RHW20 (14 days' notice)

Any contract, breach / ASB / estate management → RHW23 (one month / immediate)

Suspected abandonment → RHW27 then RHW28

Common Mistakes

The most frequent error is using Form RHW17 when you should be using RHW16. Landlords see the two-month notice period and assume it applies to them — it doesn't, unless you hold a Schedule 8A contract. The second most common error is serving English forms. Section 21 notices and Section 8 Form 3A are legally meaningless in Wales since 1 December 2022.

Another mistake: serving a no-fault form when you haven't satisfied the Schedule 9A preconditions (written statement, deposit protection, Rent Smart Wales registration, safety certificates). The form might be correct, but the notice is still invalid if any precondition is unmet.

Where to Download

All prescribed RHW forms are available free from the Welsh Government at gov.wales/renting-homes-forms-landlords. Always download the current version — do not reuse forms from 2022 without checking they haven't been updated.

For a step-by-step form selection guide with pre-service compliance checks and notice period calculations, see our Ending an Occupation Contract in Wales guide.

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