More than 2.3 million renters in NSW will be better off thanks upcoming changes to tenancy laws, news that is welcomed by Hunter Community Housing.
The NSW Government has passed significant legislative amendments aimed at providing better protection and stability for renters while ensuring fairness for landlords. These changes in the Residential Tenancies Amendment Act 2024 will come into effect on 19 May 2025.
The new legislation includes:
Ending no-grounds evictions: Landlords must give a valid reason to end a tenancy. This effectively ends no-grounds terminations for renters on both fixed-term and periodic leases.
Fee free ways to pay rent: Landlords and agents must provide tenants a fee-free, electronic method to pay rent.
Pet friendly rentals: Tenants will find it easier to keep pets. Landlords can only refuse pet requests for specific reasons, and approval will be automatic if there’s no response within 21 days.
Additional changes that were brought in from 31 October 2024 include:
Rent increase limits: Rent increases are limited to once per year for all lease types.
No extra fees at the start of a tenancy: Landlords and agents can no longer charge prospective renters for background checks when applying for a rental property.
These changes mark a significant shift towards more tenant-friendly regulations – positive news for Hunter Community Housing’s many tenants and for all tenants across NSW.
Further information about the changes can be found here.