Residential Tenancy Act Update- NSW

[redwing]

I just read the below; anyone else have any updates?

NSW Residential Tenancy Act Update


On the 18th of June the NSW parliament unanimously agreed to changes to the act and will likely be taking effect in late 2010. This will deliver some important additional protection for both property investors and tenants, including:

1) Landlords will be required to provide at least one free method for rent payment.

2) Property investors will regain certainty in seeking vacant possession of their premises.

3) Termination of periodic tenancies has been extended to 90 days notice, previously 60 days.

4) The eviction process for non-payment of rent will be sped up to 18 days.

5) Tenants will be supported in making reasonable requests to make minor changes to the property.

6) Tenants will be supported in making reasonable requests to sub lease spare rooms.

7) The proposal of a lease break fee. It was proposed that if a tenant wanted to break their lease during the fixed term, they could if they paid a set fee.apparently they have abandoned this

 

[Propertunity]

There are a few more points (than you have mentioned in your post), on the Office of Fair Trading's site here: http://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/A...gislation/Residential_Tenancies_Act_2010.html

 

[Dazz]

What are the main objectives of the Act?
The Act aims to:

1. Fairly balance the rights and obligations of tenants and landlords.

Prime examples of fairly balanced ;


1. The Act increases the notice given to tenants who are no longer in a fixed term lease from 60 days to 90 days


2. The Act gives a guarantee to tenants that their tenancy can continue if their rent arrears are paid or if they follow an agreed repayment plan.


3. The Act gives tenants greater flexibility to add fixtures or make minor alterations


4. The Act will require all tenants be given at least one free and easy....


5. The Act gives greater protection against eviction for tenants


6. The Act limits the type of information that can be listed in a ‘bad tenant’ database and the period of time such information can be kept


7. The Act gives tenants greater flexibility to sub-let part of the premises


8. The Act will require rented premises to be water efficient if tenants of separately metered premises are to pay for water


9. Victims of domestic violence living in a rented property will have the right to change the locks and seek to take over the tenancy if their name is not already on the lease.


10. The Act will, when dealing with goods left behind when a tenant vacates, introduce more practical methods to help tenants retrieve their goods and personal papers


11. The Act prohibits certain terms from being added to a lease and requires the disclosure of material facts to prospective tenants


12. The Act will enable tenants to break a lease early without penalty in certain situations


13. The Act requires the tenant to be told before a rental property is placed on the market. It obliges the selling agent to make reasonable efforts to agree with the tenant



Yes indeed, I can see that the new Act is very balanced.

The rights of the Tenants have been increased above their current dizzy heights to equally match the responsibilities of the Landlord.

Good luck to the folk who own property in NSW who fall under this proposed legislation - you're gonna need it !! I'm sure your Landlord's collective association has been in there fighting hard on your behalf whilst all of these discussions have been negotiated and finalised with the Tenancy Advocates. Not.

 

[Ozibob]

1) Landlords will be required to provide at least one free method for rent payment.

This is one i agree with, getting sick of paying extra just to pay my bills.