Ms CHARISHMA KALIYANDA (Liverpool) (11:39): My question is addressed to Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading. Will the Minister update the House on the Minns Labor Government's plans to create a fairer rental system?
Mr ANOULACK CHANTHIVONG (Macquarie Fields—Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading, Minister for Industry and Trade, Minister for Innovation, Science and Technology, Minister for Building, and Minister for Corrections) (11:40): I thank the member for Liverpool for her question and her advocacy on behalf of the 12,500 residents in her electorate who are renting, and renting for so much longer as well. I am pleased to advise the House that the Minns Labor Government is ushering a new era of stability and security for renters with three key changes that will come into effect from Monday next week. The Government is delivering on its election commitment to help make renting fairer for the States' 2.3 million renters by removing no‑grounds evictions, making it easier to have pets in rental homes and ensuring that renters have a convenient fee‑free way to pay their rent.
From Monday 19 May the following legislation will come into full effect. We are ending no‑grounds evictions. Landlords will no longer be able to end a tenancy without a reason as set out in the legislation. They must provide supporting documents where applicable, which will increase security and transparency for renters as well as providing clarity and certainty for the 620,000 landlords in New South Wales. We are also making it easier to have pets in rentals. Landlords will only be able to refuse a tenant's request for a pet for a specific reason. A standardised application process will ensure that the decision-making process is fairer and clearer. So that renters have fee-free ways to pay their rent, landlords and agents must make available convenient and modern payment methods, such as direct bank transfers, without any extra costs.
Those important changes come alongside other key initiatives that the Government is implementing. We are limiting rent increases to once per year for all lease types and ending tenants having to pay for their own background checks. We have launched a new, free website called Rent Check, providing important and comparable information about rental properties for renters seeking properties that suit their needs. The Government is investing $6.6 million to develop and deliver the nation's first Portable Rental Bonds Scheme. We are leading the way when it comes to renting and making renting fairer for the people of New South Wales. Under the Portable Rental Bonds Scheme eligible renters can move homes and digitally transfer their existing bonds with them—a convenient way to do things as people move properties. The Government will also have strong enforcement measures under these new laws to ensure a smooth transition and that the laws are working for renters and the rental market. [Extension of time]
As part of the enforcement regime, there will be stiff penalties in place for those agents or landlords who do the wrong thing, with fines up to $11,000 for individuals, and $71,500 for a company, who gives non‑genuine reasons or grounds to end a tenancy. A penalty of $5,500 applies for not providing the required fee-free ways to pay rent, and penalties up to $2,200 apply for advertising a rental property as no pets allowed or charging for background checks. These changes will be enforced by the Government's Rental Taskforce, with inspectors and support teams to help renters act on serious breaches of these new laws. Significant changes are coming in on Monday the 19th that will bring the rental market into the twenty-first century and make renting fairer for everybody involved. The implementation of the reforms creates a fairer and more balanced rental market that gives tenants greater security while also making sure that owners have clear and transparent processes to follow.
We have listened to renters, property owners and industry experts to shape the bold, balanced and modern changes and have worked closely with stakeholders to ensure the transition is smooth and well understood. Agents and landlords who choose to flout the law should be well aware that the Rental Taskforce will act and there are stiff penalties involved. The Government understands that more people are renting and are renting for longer. The reforms will improve security and fairness in the rental market by ending no-grounds evictions, making it easier for tenants to have pets in their rental homes and ensuring that renters have access to free electronic rent payment options. There is no clearer demonstration that the Minns Labor Government is committed to making the rental market fairer for the 2.3 million renters in New South Wales.
