Minor and Technical Amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act

From 20 March 2025, several updates to the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 will take effect, improving clarity and support for landlords and tenants.

Key changes include:

•  Prohibiting Smoking Indoors: Of smoked tobacco products

•  Streamlining Tribunal Decisions: The Tenancy Tribunal can decide cases based on submitted documents, reducing the need for hearings

•  Family Violence Protections: Clarifying that a tenant can exit a tenancy at short notice if a dependent has experienced family violence

•  Consolidated Applications: Tribunal jurisdictional limit set at $100,000 per tenancy for consolidated cases

  - Offering instant messaging as an address for service is not compulsory and Harcourts advises landlords to consider the risks; including missed or untracked notices. To use instant messaging for existing tenancies, a variation to the tenancy agreement adding an address for service would be required. In most cases, a physical address (required) and an email address will be sufficient. An address for service must always be listed on the tenancy agreement

•  Modern Notice Delivery: Electronic address of service has been extended to include messages sent via texts or instant messaging                                  

•  Extended Address for Service: If an email address was included as an address for service in a tenancy agreement, it can be used for up to two years after the tenancy ends

•  Extended Rent Reductions: Tenancy Tribunal rent reduction orders extended to 12 months, aligning with rent increase rules.

These changes ensure the Act remains fair, clear, and effective for all parties.