Changes to residential tenancy laws
About the reforms
The Housing and Consumer Affairs Legislation Amendment Act 2024 aims to increase protections and simplify processes for renting a home in the ACT.
The reforms will:
- allow tenants who have experienced domestic violence to end their tenancy without paying a break lease fee
- limit rent increases to once per year
- introduce new disclosure requirements for landlords
- introduce a break lease fee clause in all fixed-term tenancies
- increase flexibility for condition reports
- introduce unit title rental certificates.
Changes that started on 10 December 2024
Victims of domestic violence can end a tenancy without paying a break-lease fee
Tenants who have experienced domestic and family violence can end their tenancy quickly and without having to pay a break-lease fee.
Read more about ending a tenancy because of domestic or family violence.
Rent increases are limited to once a year
In a single fixed-term or periodic tenancy, a landlord can only increase rent if it has been 12 months or more since the most recent of either:
- the beginning of the tenancy agreement
- the date notice was given about the last rent increase.
If a landlord and tenant enter consecutive tenancy agreements, the landlord can only increase the rent if it has been 12 months or more since the most recent of either:
- the beginning of the original tenancy agreement
- the date notice was given about the last rent increase.
You can use the rent increase calculator to find out if a proposed rent increase is allowed.
Break-lease fee clauses are mandatory for fixed-term tenancies
Fixed-term tenancy agreements must include a break-lease fee clause. A break-lease fee clause caps the amount of money a tenant may need to pay their landlord if they end their tenancy during a fixed-term.
How much a tenant will need to pay depends on:
- the amount of time remaining on the fixed-term agreement
- if a new tenant can rent the property quickly.
Landlords must try to find a new tenant after receiving notice that the fixed-term tenancy will end early.
The same property condition report can be used for consecutive tenancies
Landlords and tenants will be able to use the same property condition report from an initial tenancy agreement when landlords and tenants enter into a series of agreements at the same rental property.
This will apply when at least one of the tenants from a previous tenancy is on the new tenancy agreement.
The standard residential tenancy terms have changed
From 10 December 2024, new standard residential tenancy terms apply to all tenancy agreements.
You can view the updated Standard Residential Tenancy Terms
Changes that started on 9 January 2025
Introduction of new disclosure requirements
Landlords need to provide more information when:
- advertising a property for rent
- entering a tenancy agreement with a tenant.
When advertising a unit or townhouse for rent in a complex that is part of an embedded network, a landlord must disclose:
- that the property is part of an embedded network
- information about what services are part of the embedded network.
When entering a tenancy agreement, landlords need to provide:
- safety information about any swimming pools at the rental property
- a unit title rental certificate, if the property is a unit or townhouse.
Introduction of unit title rental certificates
If their rental property is a unit or townhouse, landlords need to provide a unit title rental certificate to tenants before they enter a tenancy agreement.
Landlords can request a unit title rental certificate from their owners' corporation. Owners' corporations need to provide a unit title rental certificate if a unit owner requests one.
Read more about unit title rental certificates.
Why the reforms are important
The reforms aim to make the ACT’s residential tenancy laws simpler and more consistent. These changes are part of the ACT Government’s commitment to a Better Deal for Renters. National Cabinet agreed to a Better Deal for Renters in August 2023.