South Australian Current Acts

RESIDENTIAL TENANCIES ACT 1995 - SECT 79B

79B—Termination following death of sole tenant

        (1)         Subject to subsection (2), if the sole tenant of premises subject to a residential tenancy agreement dies, the tenancy terminates 30 days after the death of the tenant.

        (2)         If, within 30 days of the death of the tenant—

            (a)         a notice of termination is given under subsection (3) or (4); or

            (b)         an order of the Tribunal is made under subsection (5); or

            (c)         the landlord and the administrator of the deceased tenant's estate or, in the absence of an administrator, the next of kin of the deceased tenant (the "relevant person") make an agreement in writing; or

            (d)         vacant possession of the premises is given to the landlord,

the tenancy terminates on—

            (e)         the day specified in the notice of termination; or

            (f)         the day specified in the order of the Tribunal; or

            (g)         the day agreed by the landlord and the relevant person; or

            (h)         the day on which vacant possession is given,

(whichever is the earliest).

        (3)         The relevant person may, by notice in writing given to the landlord, terminate the residential tenancy agreement on the day specified in the notice on the ground that the tenant has died.

        (4)         The landlord may, by notice in writing given to the relevant person, terminate the residential tenancy agreement on the day specified in the notice on the ground that the tenant has died.

        (5)         If the landlord is unable to locate a relevant person for a deceased tenant, the landlord may apply to the Tribunal for the following orders:

            (a)         an order to terminate the residential tenancy agreement on a specified day;

            (b)         an order for possession of the premises the subject of the agreement on a specified day,

and the Tribunal may make such orders.

        (6)         If the residential tenancy agreement is for a fixed term, the day specified in a notice of termination or an order of the Tribunal under this section may be earlier than the last day of that term.

        (7)         In this section—

"sole tenant" of premises to which a residential tenancy agreement applies means a person—

            (a)         who is the only tenant under the agreement; and

            (b)         if the person has dependants—whose dependants are not in occupation of the premises.