Wednesday, 30 September 2020
MEMBER for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall has today announced the State Government has placed a six-month extension on the measures put in place to help residential tenants and landlords financially disadvantaged by COVID-19.
Mr Marshall said the existing measures had provided much-needed support to renters across the region since they were introduced in April this year.
“The State Government acted quickly and compassionately to support every tenant and landlord doing it tough due to COVID-19 by introducing a series of successful and effective measures,” Mr Marshall said.
“This will help to give many local families stability and security by helping tenancies to continue, keeping a roof over people’s heads and giving landlords the security of continued rental payments.”
The measures extended by the State Government are:
- Preventing landlords from evicting COVID-19 impacted tenants for rental arrears unless they have attempted to negotiate a rent reduction in good faith;
- Allowing tenants impacted by COVID-19 to apply to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal to end fixed term agreements in certain circumstances;
- Stopping landlords or agents from listing a COVID-19 impacted tenant on a tenancy database if they go into rental arrears;
- Extending the 90-day minimum period of notice landlords must give tenants for certain other evictions not related to rental arrears; and
- Extending boarding house eviction notice periods where the landlord has not attempted to negotiate in good faith.
“There’s no doubt that the pandemic has resulted in financial difficulty for so many people across country NSW, so it’s heartening to see tenants, landlords and agents taking advantage of this support,” Mr Marshall said.
“As the impacts of COVID are ongoing, I’m pleased these measures have been extended until March next year which will allow more time to return to normal.”
Tenants, landlords and agents can find up to date information and resources at www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/resource-library/publications/coronavirus-covid-19/property/moratorium