Public submissions are now being called for Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill
The closing date for submissions is Wednesday, 25 March 2020
The Residential Tenancies Act 1986 has been law for more than 30 years. The bill would make a range of changes to modernise the Act so it’s better suited to today’s renting environment. It aims to balance the rights and obligations of tenants and landlords.
Changes the bill would make include:
- increasing security of tenure for tenants who are meeting their obligations
- improving compliance with the law by increasing financial penalties and giving the regulator more power to take action when parties don’t meet their obligations
- clarifying the rules about minor changes to premises, such as fitting earthquake proofing
- requiring landlords to facilitate the installation of ultra-fast broadband, subject to specific triggers and exemptions
- prohibiting the solicitation of rental bids by landlords and limiting rent increases to once every 12 months
- improving tenants’ ability to assign their tenancy when that is reasonable
- supporting tenants’ ability to assert their legal rights.
Tell the Social Services and Community Committee what you think
Make a submission on the bill by midnight on 25 March 2020.
What do you need to know?
•Submissions are publicly released and published to the Parliament website. Only your name or organisation’s name is required on a submission. Please keep your contact details separate, as if they are included on the submission they will become publicly available when the submission is released.
•If you wish to include information of a private or personal nature in your submission you should discuss this with the clerk of the committee before submitting.
•If you wish to speak to your submission, please state this clearly. For more details about the bill:
Read the full content of the bill
What’s been said in Parliament about the bill?
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ENDS For media enquiries contact: Social Services and Community Committee staff ssc@parliament.govt.nz