Residential Tenancies Amendment Act 2019 (ACT)

Residential Tenancies Amendment Act 2019

A2019-5

Contents

Page

Part 1      Preliminary

1            Name of Act  2

2            Commencement  2

3            Legislation amended  2

Part 2Residential Tenancies Act 1997

4            Standard residential tenancy termsSection 8 (2), definition of break lease clause, new subclauses (3) and (4) 3

5            New section 11AA  4

6            TerminationSection 36 (1) (d)  5

7           New sections 64B and 64C  5

8            OrdersSection 67  6

9            Section 67 (as amended)  6

10          Guideline for ordersSection 68 (1) and (2)  6

11          Section 68 (5)  7

12          Effect of ordersSection 69 (1)  7

13          Section 69 (3) (a)  7

14          New part 5AA  8

15          New tenancy agreement—family violence and protection ordersSection 85A (2)  13

16          New section 85A (2) (c)  14

17          Standard residential tenancy termsSchedule 1, clause 67  14

18          Schedule 1, new clauses 74A and 74B  15

19          Schedule 1, clause 95  15

20          Schedule 1, new clause 96 (1A)  16

21          Dictionary, note 2  16

22          Dictionary, new definitions of minor modification and special modification 16

23          Dictionary, definition of termination and possession order                   16

Part 3Residential Tenancies Regulation 1998

24          New section 5A  17

Residential Tenancies Amendment Act 2019

A2019-5

An Act to amend the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 and the Residential Tenancies Regulation 1998

The Legislative Assembly for the Australian Capital Territory enacts as follows:

Part 1Preliminary

1. Name of Act

   This Act is the Residential Tenancies Amendment Act 2019.

2. Commencement

   (1)This Act commences on a day fixed by the Minister by written notice.

   Note 1The naming and commencement provisions automatically commence on the notification day (see Legislation Act, s 75 (1)).

   Note 2A single day or time may be fixed, or different days or times may be fixed, for the commencement of different provisions (see Legislation Act, s 77 (1)).

   (2)If this Act has not commenced within 12 months beginning on its notification day, it automatically commences on the first day after that period.

   (3)The Legislation Act, section 79 (Automatic commencement of postponed law) does not apply to this Act.

3. Legislation amended

   This Act amends the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 and the Residential Tenancies Regulation 1998.

Part 2Residential Tenancies Act 1997

1. Standard residential tenancy terms
   Section 8 (2), definition of break lease clause, new subclauses (3) and (4)

   insert

   (3)However, the lessor and tenant agree that if, within the defined period after the tenant vacates the premises, the lessor enters into a residential tenancy agreement with a new tenant, the amount payable by the tenant is limited to—

   (a)the amount of the break fee under subclause (1) less the amount of rent payable by the new tenant for the defined period; and

   (b)if the tenant vacates the premises more than 4 weeks before the end of the fixed term—the lessor’s reasonable costs (not exceeding the defined cost limit) of advertising the premises for lease and of giving a right to occupy the premises to another person.

   (4)In this clause:

   defined cost limit means—

   (a)if half…