Changes in favour of tenants keeping pets to start in January 2021

CONTROVERSIAL legislative changes which presume tenants have the right to keep pets on a landlord’s property will come into effect next month

Controversai legislative changes which presume tenants have the right to keep pets on a property will come into effect in January 2021

• Real estate pet fight gets ugly
• New rental laws giving power to family pets blasted by landlords, industry

CONTROVERSIAL legislative changes which presume tenants have the right to keep pets on a property will come into effect in January 2021.

The Residential Tenancies Legislation Amendment Act 2019 will commence in the New Year, and includes changes that will allow a “presumption in favour of rental tenants keeping pets”, unless landlords have reasonable grounds to refuse tenants’ requests.

Body corporate rules — such as the banning of pets — will still apply and will not be overruled by the changes.

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The Act also allows landlords to seek restitution from damage caused by pets from tenants.

Changes also include making it an offence to fail to comply with the requirement to place tenants’ unclaimed bond moneys into the Tenancy Trust Account, removing the option that condition reports may be entirely based on images.

Attorney-General Selena Uibo aid the changes the changes had widespread benefits for Territorians.

“These changes offer clarity around a range of issues impacting the rental market and have been widely consulted,” she said.

“The Act had not been reviewed for 18 years, however this new regulatory framework guides interactions between landlords and tenants and reflects modern practices across the Northern Territory.

“For many people, pets provide emotional support and are important family members of many Territorian households.

“With this in mind, the Territory Labor Government supports the rights of both tenants and landlords and this legislation aims to strike a fair balance.”

The legislation was passed in parliament earlier this year but delayed coming into effect due to COVID-19.

Real Estate Institute of the Northern Territory chief executive Quentin Kilian said he was “shocked and disgusted” by the move.

“They were told time and time again, and 8000 plus signatures on a petition said it was a bad law,” he said.

“It will cause absolute chaos and it has been shown in recent changes to blanket laws in New South Wales.

“We have a vacancy rate at 1 per cent, we have people wanting to rent properties. Why do you want to much around with that? And what annoys me equally was we are a major stakeholder in this discussion and there’s been no consultation whatsoever.”

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Mr Kilian said the changes would put at stake the investor market, which was starting to see light at the end of the tunnel.

“If we make it hard for them to invest in the Territory property market then they will go elsewhere,” he said.

“It is abhorrent to sneak through legislation that seeks to undermine what we’re trying to do, which is regrow the Northern Territory.

“Introducing legislation that is contrary to that? There’s no sense in this at all.”

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