Changes to tenancy terminations take effect on 30 January 2025 as part of the Residential Tenancies Amendment Act which was passed in December 2024.
Changes in effect on 30 January 2025:
- Tenants can end their periodic tenancy with 21 days’ notice, as long as notice has not already been given.
- Landlords can terminate a periodic tenancy with ‘no cause’ by providing 90 days’ notice.
- Landlords can end a periodic tenancy with 42 days’ notice for specific grounds if certain requirements are met and as long as notice has not already been given, including if the owner or their family requiring the premises for their principal place of residence, there is an unconditional sale of the property, or the property is required for employees or contractors of the landlord.
- Fixed-term tenancies automatically convert to periodic tenancies unless:
- a tenant or landlord gives notice to end a fixed-term tenancy between 90 and 21 days before the fixed term ends. No specific reason is required; or
- both tenant and landlord agree on an alternative.
- If a landlord terminates the tenancy due to a tenant exercising their rights or due to an authorised party becoming involved, the tenant can apply to the Tenancy Tribunal to have the notice confirmed as retaliatory and declared an unlawful act.
Read more about the law changes
Upcoming changes
In March, further changes will come into effect, including modernising how notices and documents are given, clarifying that a clause in a tenancy agreement prohibiting smoking indoors is enforceable, and allowing an email address to be used as an address for service in Tenancy Tribunal applications.
Other law changes such as the provisions for pet consent rules, pet bonds and pet liability provisions will come into effect on a date later in 2025.
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