Here’s how the ACT’s new COVID-19 tenancy rules will affect renters and landlords

The ACT Government has this week introduced temporary regulations to help renters affected by COVID-19.

Supporting the Federal Government’s announcement of a moratorium on evictions, any tenants in the ACT who are unable to pay their rent will not be able to be evicted by their landlord, provided they can show they’ve been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This means tenants will need to prove they have stopped earning income or had a reduction in income of at least 25% due to the COVID-19 pandemic to qualify.

A rental freeze also applies to these COVID-19 impacted households, so any tenants who fit under the above criteria cannot be given a rental increase during the relevant period.

In cases where a tenant is affected by COVID-19, they can instead negotiate a rental reduction with their landlord, which will be put in writing for a designated period of time.

The temporary regulations also touch on issues including non-urgent repairs and inspections. During the relevant period, landlords or agents will only be able to access a residence with the tenant’s consent, or for urgent repairs or matters. Instead, inspections of the property have to be done by video chat or other electronic means.

Want to know more? You can read the full regulations here.