Schedule 8A and 9B Contracts in Wales: Notice Rules for Special Occupation Contracts

Not every occupation contract in Wales follows the standard six-month notice rule. The Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 carves out two special categories — Schedule 8A and Schedule 9B — where shorter notice periods apply. If you manage student accommodation, supported housing, or service-linked properties, these distinctions matter.

Schedule 8A: Two-Month Notice for Specific Periodic Contracts

Schedule 8A lists categories of periodic standard contract where the landlord can serve a no-fault notice with only two months' notice instead of the usual six. The notice form is RHW17, not RHW16.

The categories currently in Schedule 8A include:

• Higher education student accommodation — the landlord is a higher education institution and the right to occupy is granted so the contract-holder can attend a course at that institution or another higher education institution
• Service occupancies — where the contract-holder occupies the dwelling as a condition of their employment (a caretaker's flat, an agricultural tied cottage)
• Supported accommodation — a supported standard contract provided by a community landlord or registered charity, with support services connected to the accommodation

The relevant Schedule 9A restrictions still apply before a Section 173 notice is valid — for example, the written statement, deposit protection where a deposit was taken, required Rent Smart Wales registration and licensing, and safety or EPC documents where required. Separately, Section 175 generally prevents serving the notice during the first six months of occupation unless the contract also falls within Schedule 9.

The critical point: ordinary private rental properties do not qualify for Schedule 8A, even if the contract-holder happens to be a student. The contract itself must fall within the defined categories. A standard buy-to-let flat rented to a university student uses RHW16 (six months), not RHW17 (two months).

Schedule 9B: Two-Month End-of-Fixed-Term Notice

Schedule 9B applies to fixed-term standard contracts in specific categories. Where a fixed-term contract falls within Schedule 9B, the landlord can serve a two-month notice under Section 186 using Form RHW22 to end the contract at or after the fixed term expires.

Schedule 9B categories overlap significantly with Schedule 8A:

• Supported accommodation contracts
• Service occupancies
• Temporary accommodation provided under homelessness duties

For ordinary private fixed-term contracts — the vast majority of buy-to-let arrangements — Section 186 and Form RHW22 are not available. When a standard private fixed-term contract expires and the contract-holder remains, a statutory periodic contract arises automatically under Section 184. The landlord then uses the standard Section 173 route (Form RHW16, six months' notice) to end the new periodic contract.

Converted fixed-term contracts have a separate route. Under paragraph 25B of Schedule 12, a landlord can use Form RHW38 to end a converted fixed-term contract at its term's end, with at least two months' notice given before or on the last day of the term; the specified date must also be at least six months after the occupation date.

Introductory Standard Contracts

Some social landlords issue introductory standard contracts — a probationary period, typically 12 months, before the contract converts to a secure occupation contract. These are primarily a social housing mechanism and are rare in the private sector.

An introductory standard contract normally requires six months' notice under Section 173 using Form RHW18. If it falls within Schedule 8A, the minimum is two months. Private landlords almost never encounter these unless they manage property on behalf of a housing association.

Prohibited Conduct Standard Contracts

A prohibited conduct standard contract is imposed by a court after it finds that the contract-holder has engaged in serious prohibited conduct. It carries reduced security of tenure, with a two-month notice period under Section 173 using Form RHW18. Again, this is a court-imposed arrangement, not something a private landlord creates voluntarily.

How to Check Your Contract Type

If you are unsure whether your contract falls within Schedule 8A or 9B, look at the written statement. The model written statements published by the Welsh Government include a clause identifying the contract type. If your statement says "periodic standard contract" without reference to Schedule 8A, you are on the standard six-month notice path.

If the property was purpose-built student accommodation or is tied to employment, check the specific Schedule 8A criteria. Using RHW17 on a contract that does not qualify gives the contract-holder an easy defence in court — the notice form was wrong.

Our Ending an Occupation Contract in Wales guide includes a contract-type identification step and form selection protocol that maps your specific situation to the correct notice form and notice period.

See more Wales guides →