South Australian Current Acts

LANDLORD AND TENANT ACT 1936 - NOTES

Legislative history

Notes

• Please note—References in the legislation to other legislation or instruments or to titles of bodies or offices are not automatically updated as part of the program for the revision and publication of legislation and therefore may be obsolete.

• Earlier versions of this Act (historical versions) are listed at the end of the legislative history.

• For further information relating to the Act and subordinate legislation made under the Act see the Index of South Australian Statutes or www.legislation.sa.gov.au.

Legislation repealed by principal Act

The Landlord and Tenant Act 1936 repealed the following:

An Act to amend the Law of Landlord and Tenant (No. 580 of 1893)

The Distress for Rent Amendment Act 1907

Legislation amended by principal Act

The Landlord and Tenant Act 1936 amended the following:

An Act to amend the law of Real Property (No. 25 of 1852)

Supreme Court Procedure Amendment Act (No. 5 of 1853)

The Property Act of 1860

The Common Law Procedure Act 1862

The Distress for Rent Act 1888

Principal Act and amendments

New entries appear in bold.

Year	No	Title	Assent	Commencement
1936	2301	Landlord and Tenant Act 1936	5.11.1936	1.5.1937 (Gazette 25.3.1937 p645)
1974	84	Statute Law Revision Act (No. 2) 1974	21.11.1974	21.11.1974
1978	24	Landlord and Tenant Act Amendment Act 1978	30.3.1978	1.12.1978: s 2
1985	19	Statutes Amendment (Commercial Tenancies) Act 1985	14.3.1985	1.1.1986 (Gazette 12.12.1985 p1802)
1987	104	Landlord and Tenant Act Amendment Act 1987	17.12.1987	1.1.1988 (Gazette 23.12.1987 p1916)
1990	49	Landlord and Tenant Act Amendment Act 1990	15.11.1990	15.11.1990
1990	50	Statutes Amendment (Shop Trading Hours and Landlord and Tenant) Act 1990 as amended by 81/1993—s 11 impliedly repealed by 14/1995 s 81—the section amended was subsequently deleted	22.11.1990	s 10—22.11.1990 (Gazette 22.11.1990 p1581)
1990	58	Landlord and Tenant Act Amendment Act (No. 2) 1990	29.11.1990	11.3.1991 (Gazette 28.2.1991 p693) except ss 7, 10 & 11—1.9.1991 (Gazette 29.8.1991 p690)
1993	81	Statutes Amendment (Landlord and Tenant) Act 1993	27.10.1993	27.10.1993
1994	59	Criminal Law Consolidation (Felonies and Misdemeanours) Amendment Act 1994	27.10.1994	1.1.1995 (Gazette 8.12.1994 p1942)
1995	14	Retail Shop Leases Act 1995	6.4.1995	s 81—30.6.1995 (Gazette 29.6.1995 p2976)
1999	33	Financial Sector Reform (South Australia) Act 1999	17.6.1999	Sch (item 32)—1.7.1999 being the date specified under s 3(16) of the Financial Sector Reform (Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Act (No. 1) 1999 of the Commonwealth as the transfer date for the purposes of that Act: s 2(2)
1999	55	Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous) Amendment Act 1999	12.8.1999	3.10.1999 (Gazette 30.9.1999 p1341)
2003	44	Statute Law Revision Act 2003	23.10.2003	Sch 1—24.11.2003 (Gazette 13.11.2003 p4048)
2005	56	Justices of the Peace Act 2005	17.11.2005	Sch 2 (cll 29—32)—1.7.2006 (Gazette 22.6.2006 p2012)
2006	17	Statutes Amendment (New Rules of Civil Procedure) Act 2006	6.7.2006	Pt 43 (ss 147—151)—4.9.2006 (Gazette 17.8.2006 p2831)
2006	44	Statutes Amendment (Justice Portfolio) Act 2006	14.12.2006	Pt 17 (s 29)—18.1.2007 (Gazette 18.1.2007 p234)
2008	37	Landlord and Tenant (Distress for Rent—Health Records Exemption) Amendment Act 2008	7.8.2008	7.8.2008
2010	5	Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (South Australia) Act 2010	1.7.2010	Sch 1 (cl 21)—1.7.2010 (Gazette 1.7.2010 p3338)
2016	35	Statutes Amendment (Gender Identity and Equity) Act 2016	4.8.2016	Pt 10 (s 35)—8.9.2016 (Gazette 8.9.2016 p3676)
2019	47	Retail and Commercial Leases (Miscellaneous) Amendment Act 2019	19.12.2019	Pt 3 (ss 30 & 31)—1.7.2020 (Gazette 14.5.2020 p962

Provisions amended since 3 February 1976

• Legislative history prior to 3 February 1976 appears in marginal notes and footnotes included in the consolidation of this Act contained in Volume 5 of The Public General Acts of South Australia 1837-1975 at page 538.

New entries appear in bold.

Entries that relate to provisions that have been deleted appear in italics.

Provision	How varied	Commencement
Long title	amended by 19/1985 s 4	1.1.1986
	substituted by 44/2003 s 3(1) (Sch 1)	24.11.2003
Pt A1	heading inserted by 44/2003 s 3(1) (Sch 1)	24.11.2003
s 1	substituted by 19/1985 s 5	1.1.1986
s 2	deleted by 19/1985 s 5	1.1.1986
s 3	amended by 19/1985 s 6	1.1.1986
	omitted under Legislation Revision and Publication Act 2002	24.11.2003
s 3A	inserted by 24/1978 s 3	1.12.1978
s 3B	inserted by 19/1985 s 7	1.1.1986
Pt 1
Pt 1 Div 1	heading preceding s 4 deleted and Div 1 heading inserted by 44/2003 s 3(1) (Sch 1)	24.11.2003
s 6
s 6(1)	s 6 amended and redesignated as s 6(1) by 44/2004 s 3(1) (Sch 1)	24.11.2003
s 6(2)	s 6 amended and redesignated as s 6(2) by 44/2004 s 3(1) (Sch 1)	24.11.2003
Pt 1 Div 2	heading preceding s 9 deleted and Div 2 heading inserted by 44/2003 s 3(1) (Sch 1)	24.11.2003
s 9
s 9(1)	amended by 17/2006 s 147	4.9.2006
Pt 2
s 13
health practitioner	inserted by 37/2008 s 3	7.8.2008
	substituted by 5/2010 Sch 1 cl 21	1.7.2010
record	inserted by 37/2008 s 3	7.8.2008
s 13A	inserted by 47/2019 s 30	1.7.2020
s 14
s 14(2)	amended by 44/2003 s 3(1) (Sch 1)	24.11.2003
s 17
s 17(2)	amended by 44/2003 s 3(1) (Sch 1)	24.11.2003
s 19
s 19(1)	amended by 44/2003 s 3(1) (Sch 1)	24.11.2003
s 21	amended by 17/2006 s 148	4.9.2006
s 22	amended by 44/2003 s 3(1) (Sch 1)	24.11.2003
s 24
s 24(1)	amended by 44/2003 s 3(1) (Sch 1)	24.11.2003
s 24(2)	amended by 44/2003 s 3(1) (Sch 1)	24.11.2003
	substituted by 56/2005 Sch 2 cl 29	1.7.2006
	substituted by 47/2019 s 31	1.7.2020
s 25	amended by 56/2005 Sch 2 cl 30	1.7.2006
s 26	amended by 56/2005 Sch 2 cl 31	1.7.2006
s 28	amended by 59/1994 Sch 2	1.1.1995
	amended by 44/2006 s 29	18.1.2007
s 32
s 32(3)	amended by 17/2006 s 149	4.9.2006
s 37	amended by 17/2006 s 150	4.9.2006
s 39	amended by 17/2006 s 151	4.9.2006
s 41	amended by 44/2003 s 3(1) (Sch 1)	24.11.2003
heading preceding s 43	deleted by 44/2003 s 3(1) (Sch 1)	24.11.2003
s 43A	inserted by 37/2008 s 4	7.8.2008
s 44	deleted by 35/2016 s 35	8.9.2016
Pt 4	inserted by 19/1985 s 8	1.1.1986
	amended by 104/1987 ss 3—11	1.1.1988
	amended by 49/1990 s 2	15.11.1990
	amended by 50/1990 s 10	22.11.1990
	amended by 58/1990 ss 3—6, 8, 9, 12—16 (Sch)	11.3.1991
	amended by 58/1990 ss 7, 10, 11	1.9.1991
	amended by 81/1993 ss 3—6	27.10.1993
	deleted by 14/1995 s 81(1)	30.6.1995
	amended by 33/1999 Sch (item 32)	1.7.1999
	amended by 55/1999 s 8	3.10.1999
Schs 1—6	Schs A—F redesignated as Schs 1—6 by 44/2003 s 3(1) (Sch 1)	24.11.2003
Sch J	deleted by 44/2003 s 3(1) (Sch 1)	24.11.2003

Transitional etc provisions associated with Act or amendments

Landlord and Tenant Act Amendment Act 1987

12—Savings provision

A provision of a commercial tenancy agreement entered into before the commencement of this Act is not invalidated or affected in any other way by any inconsistency with, or failure to comply with, section 62(1)(a)(iii) of the principal Act as in force before the commencement of this Act.

Landlord and Tenant Act Amendment Act (No. 2) 1990

18—Transitional provisions

The amendments effected by sections 4, 6, 7, 9 and 10 apply only in relation to commercial tenancy agreements entered into on or after the commencement of this Act.

Retail Shop Leases Act 1995 as amended by section 17 of the Retail Shop Leases Amendment Act 1997

81—Amendment of the Landlord and Tenant Act

(1) Part 4 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1936 (the former legislation) is repealed.

(2) However—

(a) the former legislation continues to apply, subject to modifications prescribed by regulation,¹ to retail shop leases entered into before the commencement of this Act (including such a lease that is renewed after the commencement of this Act under a right or option of renewal conferred before the commencement of this Act); but

(b) if the retail shop lease creates a periodic tenancy, this Act applies to the lease as from the beginning of the first period after the first anniversary of the commencement of this Act as if there were a novation of the lease on that date.

(3) The regulations made for the purposes of subsection (2)(a) may provide that specified provisions of this Act apply to a retail shop lease entered into before the commencement of this Act.

(4) The Fund established under the former legislation is dissolved and the money constituting that Fund at the commencement of this Act is incorporated in the Fund established under this Act.

(5) References in the former legislation to the Fund established under that legislation are to be construed (so far as the relevant provisions give rights or impose obligations on parties to leases) as references to the Fund under this Act.

Note—

1 Regulations have been made for the purposes of s 81(2)(a) of the Retail Shop Leases Act 1995 (see Gazette 29.6.1995 p3101) as follows:

13—Issues associated with Landlord and Tenant Act

(1) For the purposes of section 81(2)(a) of the Act, the following modifications to the Landlord and Tenant Act 1936 (the former legislation) are prescribed:

(a) a reference to the Commercial Tribunal (including through the use of the definition the Tribunal) is to be construed as a reference to the Civil (Consumer and Business) Division of the Magistrates Court;

(b) section 56 of the former legislation will be taken to have been replaced by the following provision:

56—Substantial monetary claims

(1) An action involving a claim arising under or in respect of a commercial tenancy agreement to which this Part applies or a related guarantee should be commenced before the Magistrates Court.

(2) An action before the Magistrates Court that involves a monetary claim for $10 000 or less will be taken to be a minor statutory proceeding under the Magistrates Court Act 1991.

(3) If an action before the Magistrates Court involves a monetary claim for an amount exceeding $30 000, the Magistrates Court must on the application of a party to the proceeding refer the proceeding to the District Court.

(4) If a proceeding is referred to the District Court, the Court has, in addition to the powers that it has apart from this section, the powers that the Magistrates Court has under this Part.

(5) In this section—

Magistrates Court means the Civil (Consumer and Business) Division of the Magistrates Court.;

(c) sections 59, 60, 61 and 65 of the former legislation will be taken to have been repealed;

(d) the following sections will be taken to be inserted after section 72 of the former legislation:

72A—Unlawful threats

A landlord or an agent of a landlord must not make threats to the effect that the landlord will not renew or extend the term of tenancy if the tenant exercises a right under this Act.

Penalty: Division 5 fine.

72B—Vexatious acts

A party to a commercial tenancy agreement must not, in connection with the exercise of a right or power under this Act or the agreement, engage in conduct that is, in all the circumstances, vexatious.

Penalty: Division 6 fine.

(2) Pursuant to section 81(3) of the Act, the following provisions of the Act apply to a retail shop lease entered into before the commencement of the Act:

(a) section 12 (Lessee to be given disclosure statement);

(b) section 13 (Lessee not required to pay undisclosed contributions);

(c) section 19 (Security bond);

(d) section 20 (Repayment of security);

(e) section 52 (Statistical information to be made available to lessee);

(f) section 61 (Trading hours).

(3) Subregulations (1) and (2) do not affect any determination of core trading hours under the former legislation before the commencement of the Act and such a determination will have effect for the purposes of section 61 of the Act.

Justices of the Peace Act 2005, Sch 2

32—Transitional provision

An amendment made by Schedule 2 of the Justices of the Peace Act 2005 to the Landlord and Tenant Act 1936 does not apply in respect of proceedings commenced before the commencement of the amending provision (and those proceedings may continue as if the amending provision had not been enacted).

Historical versions

Reprint No 1—1.10.1991
Reprint No 2—27.10.1993
Reprint No 3—1.1.1995
Reprint No 4—30.6.1995
Reprint No 5—3.10.1999
Reprint No 6—24.11.2003
1.7.2006
4.9.2006
18.1.2007
7.8.2008
1.7.2010
8.9.2016

Appendix—Divisional penalties and expiation fees

At the date of publication of this version divisional penalties and expiation fees are, as provided by section 28A of the Acts Interpretation Act 1915, as follows:

Division	Maximum imprisonment	Maximum fine	Expiation fee
1	15 years	$60 000	—
2	10 years	$40 000	—
3	7 years	$30 000	—
4	4 years	$15 000	—
5	2 years	$8 000	—
6	1 year	$4 000	$300
7	6 months	$2 000	$200
8	3 months	$1 000	$150
9	–	$500	$100
10	–	$200	$75
11	–	$100	$50
12	–	$50	$25

Note: This appendix is provided for convenience of reference only.