A new set of reforms came into effect last week (3 March) to give tenants greater assurance about their rights in share houses and under occupancy agreements.
Attorney-General Shane Rattenbury said the reforms clarified and modernised the legal framework for tenants living in share housing and improved the protections for those living under occupancy agreements.
“Share housing is a highly flexible, and sometimes informal arrangement, so we need laws that reflect that,” Mr Rattenbury said.
“[The reforms] will remove headaches like terminating and remaking a tenancy agreement when your housemates change, or having some people not on the lease, making them sub-tenants of those on the lease,” he said.
“The process of managing the bond for a share house is also streamlined, where the money can be transferred directly between tenants when arrangements change.”
Mr Rattenbury said that under the reforms, no fees were chargeable for changing who the occupant’s co-tenants were.
He said the reforms also improved conditions for Canberrans who lived in shared accommodation under an occupancy agreement, like boarding houses, university student accommodation or crisis accommodation.
“The new laws establish minimum protections, so that occupants are protected against unreasonable evictions,” he said.
“The reforms also create a new optional pathway for occupants to be able to take an occupancy dispute to the Human Rights Commission for conciliation to provide a structured dispute resolution process,” Mr Rattenbury said.
Further information on the reforms, including fact sheets, can be accessed on the Justice and Community Safety Directorate’s website at this PS News link.
