More rent protections set for NT and SA tenants

Neve Brissenden | November 29, 2023

A suite of renting reforms designed to protect South Australian and Northern Territory tenants is set to pass their respective parliaments.

NT Attorney-General Chansey Paech introduced the amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act during a busy last sitting week in Darwin on Wednesday.

The reforms would mean landlords would need to give 60 days rather than 14 for end-of-lease evictions, and a ban on rent bidding.

Tenants would also need to give less information on tenancy applications and lease break fees would be outlawed.

The NT government has been reviewing the Act since 2018, with criticism mounting that territory tenants still face some of the strictest legislation in Australia.

The NT is the only jurisdiction without an independent bond board.

Mr Paech said the government had not ruled out looking at bond reforms though it is not part of this week’s amendments.

“It’s something we’ve heard from a number of people in the community,” he said on Wednesday.

“It’s not off the table, but we need to do work to better understand the implications of that moving forward.”

The NT also joined the SA parliament in pushing for further protections for tenants who are experiencing domestic and family violence.

Tenants in both jurisdictions will not be held liable for damage caused by acts of domestic violence and may terminate a tenancy without a penalty.

In SA, rent bidding has already been outlawed but new reforms are set to pass parliament extending the eviction notice from 28 days to 60 days.

Tenants will also be allowed to have pets, bringing the state in line with Queensland, Victoria and the NT.

South Australian landlords will also only be able to terminate a tenancy for a prescribed reason.

SA Minister for Consumer and Business Affairs Andrea Michaels said the amendments are the “biggest reforms in a generation”.

“Most landlords and tenants do the right thing,” she said.

“However, it is heartbreaking that there are South Australians who have had their lease ended for no reason, have been forced to remain in an unsafe home or have had to surrender a beloved pet because they fear becoming homeless.”

Ms Michaels said the reforms strike a balance between tenant security and landlord protection.