South Australia’s rental laws are being updated to better meet the needs of today’s rental housing market and to improve protections for renters.
The SA Government has introduced a Bill into Parliament to update the Residential Tenancy Act in the following areas, effective 1 April 2023;
More affordable rental bonds
For any new Lease Agreements entered into on or after 1 April, a bond of 4 weeks will be collected if the weekly rent is $800 or below. This threshold was previously $250 per week. For properties with rents $801 or above, a 6 week bond will still be collected.
Any bond paid before this date will remain lodged with CBS until the conclusion of the tenancy agreement.
Banning rent bidding
The government is taking action to ban the practice of rent bidding.
Landlords will no longer be able to advertise properties with a rent range, put properties up for rent auction, or solicit offers over the advertised rental price.
This reform brings South Australia in line with other Australian jurisdictions which have introduced restrictions on rent bidding.
Additionally, where a third party is facilitating tenancy applications, i.e., OC on your behalf, any rating or assessment of a prospective tenant must not be based on an offer of higher rent.
Further changes are expected to take place in the coming months, with the Government still to decide on;
- Longer tenancies (prescribed reasons for termination and non renewal)
- Renting with pets
- Housing standards and retaliatory evictions
- Safety modifications and minor changes to rented houses, and
- Standardised start of tenancy requirements
