Australian Capital Territory Current Acts

RESIDENTIAL TENANCIES ACT 1997

TABLE OF PROVISIONS

           Long Title

   PART 1--PRELIMINARY

   1.      Name of Act  
   2.      Dictionary  
   3.      Notes  
   3A.     Offences against Act—application of Criminal Code etc  
   4.      Application of Act  
   4A.     Objects of Act  

   PART 1A--MEANING OF RESIDENTIAL TENANCY AGREEMENT

   5.      Who is a lessor?  
   6.      Who is a tenant?  
   6AA.    Who is a co-tenant?  
   6A.     What is a residential tenancy agreement?  
   6B.     Residential tenancy agreement if agreement written and says it is residential tenancy  
   6C.     Residential tenancy agreement if agreement part of employment  
   6D.     Certain kinds of agreements not residential tenancy agreements  
   6E.     Certain people given right of occupation not tenants  
   7.      When does residential tenancy agreement start?  

   PART 2--RESIDENTIAL TENANCY AGREEMENTS

           Division 2.1--Terms of agreement

   8.      Terms included in residential tenancy agreements  
   9.      Inconsistent tenancy terms void  
   10.     Endorsement of inconsistent tenancy terms by ACAT  

           Division 2.2--Precontractual obligations

   10A.    Meaning of publish—div 2.2  
   11.     Compliance  
   11A.    Energy efficiency rating—advertising  
   11AA.   Certain special conditions must be advertised  
   11AAA.  Adaptable housing—advertising  
   11AB.   Minimum housing standards—advertising and disclosure  
   11AC.   Lessor or agent must advertise rental rate for premises  
   11AD.   Lessor or agent must not solicit rent bidding  
   11B.    Smoke alarms  
   12.     Lessor's obligations  
   13.     Tenant's obligations  
   14.     Agent's obligations  

           Division 2.3--Consideration

   15.     Rent or a bond only  
   16.     Alternative to a bond—guarantee or indemnity  
   18.     Holding deposits  

           Division 2.4--Lessor's obligations on signing agreement

   19.     Copy of agreement to be given to tenant  

           Division 2.5--Minimum housing standards

   19A.    Minimum housing standards  
   19B.    Lessor's obligations about minimum housing standards  
   19C.    Lessor must keep records about minimum housing standards  

   PART 3--BONDS

           Division 3.1--Payment of bonds

   20.     Maximum amount payable  
   21.     Only 1 bond per residential tenancy agreement  
   22.     Successive residential tenancy agreements  

           Division 3.2--Depositing bond

   23.     Deposit of bond by lessor  
   24.     Deposit of bond by tenant  
   25.     Notice about deposit  
   26.     Acknowledgment of receipt of bond money  
   27.     Payment of bond money into trust account  
   28.     Interest on amounts in trust account  

           Division 3.3--Condition of premises and deductions from bond

   29.     Condition report—start of tenancy  
   30.     Evidence of condition of premises  
   30A.    Final inspection and condition report—end of tenancy  
   31.     Deductions from bond  

           Division 3.4--Release of bond money

   32.     Definitions—div 3.4  
   33.     Bond release application—general  
   34.     Bond release application—lessor's obligations  
   34A.    Bond release application—joint application  
   34B.    Bond release application—application by tenant  
   34C.    Bond release application—application by lessor  
   34D.    Bond release application before end of agreement  
   34E.    Bond release application—ACAT order  
   34F.    Bond release application—discrepancy in named tenant  
   35.     Disputes about all or part of bond  

   PART 3A--CO-TENANCIES

   35A.    Co-tenant may leave residential tenancy agreement  
   35B.    Repayment of bond to leaving co-tenant  
   35C.    Becoming a co-tenant under existing residential tenancy  
   35D.    Co-tenancy on application to ACAT  
   35E.    Becoming a co-tenant under existing residential tenancy agreement—social housing  
   35F.    Payment of bond by new co-tenant  
   35G.    ACAT orders—co-tenancy matters  

   PART 4--TERMINATION OF RESIDENTIAL TENANCY AGREEMENTS

           Division 4.1--General

   36.     Termination  
   37.     Entry for eviction purposes  
   38.     General duty to mitigate  
   39.     Content of termination and possession orders  

           Division 4.2--Warrants for eviction

   40.     Content of warrant  
   41.     Warrant—termination and possession order  

           Division 4.3--Termination initiated by tenant

   43.     Breach of standard residential tenancy terms  
   44.     Significant hardship  
   45.     Damage, injury or intention to damage or injure  
   45A.    Threats, harassment, intimidation or abuse by lessor etc  
   46.     False or misleading statements  
   46AA.   Termination of agreement for failure to comply with minimum housing  
   46A.    Termination of agreement for aged care or social housing needs  
   46B.    Termination of fixed term agreements if premises for sale  

           Division 4.4--Termination initiated by lessor

   47.     No breach of standard residential tenancy terms  
   48.     Certain breaches of standard residential tenancy terms  
   49.     Failure to pay rent—termination and possession order  
   49A.    Failure to pay rent—payment order  
   49B.    Failure to comply with payment order  
   49C.    Hearing of application—failure to comply with payment order  
   50.     Significant hardship  
   51.     Damage, injury or intention to damage or injure  
   51A.    Threats, harassment, intimidation or abuse by tenant  
   52.     False or misleading statements  
   53.     Employer-provided accommodation  
   54.     Purported co-tenancy, assignment or subletting  
   55.     Repudiation without vacation  
   55A.    Affected residential premises  
   55B.    Eligible impacted property  
   56.     Compensation to lessor  
   57.     Retaliatory applications  

           Division 4.5--Defective termination notices

   58.     Lessor's defective termination notice if tenant vacates  
   59.     Lessor's defective termination notice if tenant does not vacate  
   60.     Tenant's defective termination notice  

           Division 4.6--Abandonment of premises

   61.     Effect of abandonment  
   61A.    Lessor may enter premises to confirm abandonment  
   62.     Abandonment during fixed term  
   63.     Abandonment during periodic agreement  

           Division 4.7--Miscellaneous

   64.     Successor in title to lessor  
   64AA.   Termination—affected residential premises  
   64AB.   Termination—eligible impacted property  
   64AC.   No new residential tenancy agreements etc for affected residential  
   64AD.   Disallowing retaliatory notices to vacate  

   PART 5--RENTAL RATE INCREASES

   64A.    Standard residential tenancy term—increase in rent  
   64B.    Limitation on rent increases  
   64C.    Tenant may apply for review  
   65.     Waiver of notice requirements  
   66.     Freezing rents  
   68.     Guideline for orders  
   68A.    Orders  
   69.     Effect of orders  
   70.     Further increases  
   71.     Reduction of existing rent  
   71AAA.  Rent reduction for lessor's failure to comply with a minimum housing  

   PART 5AA--LESSOR'S CONSENT IN CERTAIN MATTERS

   71AA.   Definitions—pt 5AA  
   71AB.   Process for tenant seeking consent—modifications generally  
   71AC.   Lessor to apply to ACAT for refusal—special modifications  
   71AD.   Tenant may apply to ACAT for review of refusal—other  
   71AE.   Process for tenant seeking consent—animals  
   71AF.   Lessor to apply to ACAT for refusal—animals  
   71AG.   Limitation on lessor's liability  

   PART 5A--OCCUPANCY AGREEMENTS

   71A.    Who is a grantor?  
   71B.    Who is an occupant?  
   71C.    What is an occupancy agreement?  
   71CA.   Certain types of agreements not occupancy agreements  
   71CB.   Occupancy agreement—smoke alarms  
   71D.    When does an occupancy start and end?  
   71E.    Application of occupancy principles  
   71EA.   Occupancy principles  
   71EB.   Condition report  
   71EC.   Payment of security deposit  
   71ED.   Security deposit must be lodged with Territory  
   71EE.   Deductions from security deposit  
   71EF.   Receipts for certain payments  
   71EG.   Occupancy rules, fees, charges and penalties  
   71EH.   Occupant's access to occupancy premises  
   71EI.   Information about dispute resolution processes  
   71EJ.   Entry by grantor to occupancy premises  
   71EK.   Termination of occupancy agreement  
   71EL.   Warrant for eviction—vacant possession order  
   71EM.   Occupancy agreement—abandonment of premises  
   71F.    Regulations about occupancy agreements  

   PART 5B--RESIDENTIAL PARKS

           Division 5B--.1 Definitions—pt 5B

   71H.    Definitions—pt 5B  

           Division 5B--.2 Shared park facilities

   71I.    Access to shared park facilities  

           Division 5B--.3 Assignment of interests

   71J.    Definitions—div 5B.3  
   71K.    Assignment in residential park permitted with consent  
   71L.    Consent to assignment  
   71M.    Effect of assignment  

           Division 5B--.4 Sale of manufactured homes and mobile homes

   71N.    Sale of home located on residential park site  
   71O.    Home to be removed from park if no site agreement once sold  

   PART 6--RESOLUTION OF RESIDENTIAL TENANCY AND OCCUPANCY DISPUTES

           Division 6.1--Important concepts

   72.     Meaning of tenancy dispute  
   73.     Meaning of occupancy dispute  
   74.     Other options for dispute resolution  

           Division 6.2--Action by registrar

   75.     Assistance with inquiries about residential tenancy and occupancy  

           Division 6.3--Jurisdiction of ACAT—this Act, standard residential tenancy terms and standard occupancy terms

   76.     Jurisdiction of ACAT under this Act etc  
   77.     Saving of court jurisdiction  
   78.     Extended jurisdiction of ACAT with agreement of parties  

           Division 6.4--Applications to ACAT

   79.     Who may apply to ACAT?  
   80.     Applications to ACAT by children—application of this Act etc  

           Division 6.5--Powers and decisions of ACAT

   81.     ACAT to assist parties to tenancy and occupancy disputes  
   82.     Disputes about agreements no longer in force  
   83.     Orders by ACAT  
   84.     Notice of intention to vacate—award of compensation  

           Division 6.5A--Powers and decisions of ACAT—protection orders

   85.     Definitions—div 6.5A  
   85A.    New tenancy agreement—family violence and protection  
   85B.    Applications under s 85A—ACAT orders  

           Division 6.6--Enforcement of ACAT orders

   86.     Failure to comply with ACAT orders  

   PART 7--RESIDENTIAL TENANCY DATABASES

   87.     Definitions—pt 7  
   88.     Application—pt 7  
   89.     Notice of usual use of database  
   90.     Notice of listing if database used  
   91.     Listing can be made only for certain breaches by certain people  
   92.     Further restriction on listing  
   93.     Ensuring quality of listing—lessor's or agent's  
   94.     Ensuring quality of listing—database operator's  
   95.     Providing copy of personal information listed  
   96.     Notifying relevant non-parties of tribunal order about listing  
   97.     Keeping personal information listed  
   98.     Application to ACAT about contravention  
   99.     Application to ACAT about certain personal information listed in residential tenancy  
   100.    Application to ACAT about proposed listing of personal information  
   101.    Order for compensation  

   PART 8--REGISTRATION OF STANDARD GUARANTEE CONTRACT FOR COMMERCIAL GUARANTEE

   102.    Meaning of commercial guarantee and standard guarantee  
   103.    Application for registration of standard guarantee contract  
   104.    Commissioner must decide application  
   105.    Register of standard guarantee contracts  
   106.    Relationship to Australian Consumer Law (ACT)  

   PART 9--MISCELLANEOUS

   126.    Declared crisis accommodation provider  
   127.    Death of co-tenant  
   127A.   Transfer of public housing under will  
   128.    Purported co-tenancy, assignment or subletting  
   131.    Proceedings by children  
   132.    Enforcing agreements by or against children  
   133.    Approved forms—Minister  
   134.    Determination of fees  
   136.    Regulation-making power  

   PART 19--TRANSITIONAL--RESIDENTIAL TENANCIES LEGISLATION AMENDMENT ACT 2023

   163.    Notice to vacate served before commencement day continues in force  
   163A.   Fixed term agreement entered into before commencement day  
   164.    Expiry—pt 19  
           SCHEDULE 1
           SCHEDULE 2
           DICTIONARY
           ENDNOTES