Residential Tenancies Act 1995 (SA)

South Australia Residential Tenancies Act 1995 An Act to regulate the relationship of landlord and tenant under residential tenancy agreements; and for other purposes.

Contents Part 1—Preliminary 1 Short title 3 Interpretation 4 Presumption of periodicity in case of short fixed terms 5 Application of Act Part 2—Administration 6 Administration of this Act 7 Ministerial control of administration 8 The Commissioner's functions 10 Annual report Part 3—South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal Division 3—The Tribunal's jurisdiction 24 Jurisdiction of Tribunal 25 Application to Tribunal 25A Registrar may make orders in certain cases Division 5—Procedural powers of Tribunal 32 Intervention of designated housing agency 33 Amendment of proceedings Division 7—Orders 35 Special powers to make orders Division 8—Obligation to give reasons for decisions 39 Reasons for decisions 39A Time for application for review or instituting appeal Part 4—Mutual rights and obligations of landlord and tenant Division A1—Before entering into residential tenancy agreement 47A Prospective tenant to be notified of sale of premises 47B Prospective tenant—requirements relating to provision of information 47C Advertising premises and misleading etc conduct Division 1—Entering into residential tenancy agreement 48 Information to be provided by landlords to tenants 49 Residential tenancy agreements 50 Cost of preparing agreement 51 False information from tenant Division 2—Discrimination against tenants with children 52 Discrimination against tenants with children Division 3—Rent 52A Premises to be offered for rent at fixed amount 52B Special provision relating to assessments etc of prospective tenants 53 Permissible consideration for residential tenancy 54 Rent in advance 55 Variation of rent 56 Excessive rent 56A Manner etc of payment of rent 57 Landlord's duty to keep proper records of rent and other payments 58 Duty to provide statement or give receipt for rent 58A Payment of rent by electronic transaction 59 Accrual and apportionment of rent 60 Abolition of distress for rent Division 4—Bonds 61 Bond 62 Receipt of bond and transmission to Commissioner 63 Repayment of bond Division 5—Tenant's entitlement to possession and quiet enjoyment 64 Vacant possession etc 65 Quiet enjoyment Division 6—Security of premises 66 Security of premises 66A Altering locks etc for premises in certain circumstances 66B Application to Tribunal to alter etc locks or security devices without consent Division 6A—Keeping of pets on premises 66C Keeping of pets on premises 66D Grounds for refusing pets being kept on premises 66E Tenant may seek Tribunal orders 66F Continuation of approval to keep pet on premises 66G Limitation of landlord's liability Division 7—Landlord's obligation in regard to condition of the premises 67 Cleanliness 67A Occupation of premises that do not comply with minimum housing standards 67B Testing and remediation in relation to drug contamination 68 Landlord's obligation to repair 68A Minimum efficiency standards Division 8—Tenant's obligations in relation to the premises and ancillary property 69 Tenant's responsibility for cleanliness, damage and loss 70 Alteration of premises Division 9—Tenant's conduct on the premises 71 Tenant's conduct Division 9A—Landlord's obligation to advise of sale of premises 71A Sale of residential premises Division 10—Landlord's right of entry 72 Right of entry Division 11—Statutory charges 73 Statutory charges 73A Agreements relating to installation of solar energy systems 73B Excessive water usage charges Division 12—Assignment and sub-letting 74 Assignment and sub-letting by tenant 74A Tenant may apply to Tribunal 74B Landlord cannot demand or receive fee for giving consent Division 13—Tenant's vicarious liability 75 Vicarious liability Division 13A—Maximum liability for rent payable following tenant's termination of fixed term tenancy 75A Maximum liability for rent payable following tenant's termination of fixed term tenancy Division 14—Harsh or unconscionable terms 76 Harsh or unconscionable terms Division 14A—Tenant information 76A Preliminary 76B Dealing with tenant information and prospective tenant information 76C Powers of Tribunal Division 15—Miscellaneous 77 Accelerated rent and liquidated damages 78 Duty of mitigation 78A Compensation for expenses Part 5—Termination of residential tenancy agreements Division 1—Termination generally 79 Termination of residential tenancy 79A Agreement for fixed term continues if not terminated Division 1A—Termination following death of sole tenant 79B Termination following death of sole tenant Division 2—Termination by the landlord 80 Notice of termination by landlord on ground of breach of agreement 80A Termination by landlord on ground of drug contamination 81 Termination because possession is required by landlord for certain purposes 82 Termination of residential tenancy by community housing providers with members who are tenants 83 Termination by landlord on ground prescribed 83A Notice to be given at end of fixed term 83B Termination where agreement frustrated 84 Tribunal must approve certain terminations 84A Compensation for termination in certain circumstances Division 3—Termination by tenant 85 Notice of termination by tenant on ground of breach of the agreement 85AA Notice of termination by tenant for successive breaches of agreement 85A Termination by tenant if residential premises for sale 85B Notice of termination by tenant due to condition of premises 85C Notice of termination by tenant in certain circumstances 85D Notice of termination by tenant on ground of domestic abuse 86 Termination by tenant without specifying a ground of termination 86A Notice to be given at end of fixed term 86B Termination where agreement frustrated Division 4—Termination by the Tribunal 87 Termination on application by landlord 88 Termination on application by tenant 89 Termination based on hardship 89A Termination based on domestic abuse 90 Tribunal may terminate tenancy if tenant's conduct unacceptable Division 4A—Tribunal may make orders in relation to retaliatory behaviour and circumstances of domestic abuse 90A Tribunal may make orders in relation to retaliatory behaviour 90B Tribunal may make orders in relation to circumstances of domestic abuse Division 5—Notices of termination 91 Form of notice of termination 91A Prohibition on letting premises after notice of termination 92 Termination of periodic tenancy 92A Notice of termination void if no action taken Division 6—Repossession of premises 93 Order for possession 94 Abandoned premises 95 Repossession of premises 96 Forfeiture of head tenancy not to result automatically in destruction of right to possession under residential tenancy agreement Division 7—Abandoned property 97 Abandoned property 97A Offence to deal with abandoned property in unauthorised way 97B Action to deal with abandoned property other than personal documents 97C Action to deal with abandoned personal documents Division 8—Enforcement of orders for possession 99 Enforcement of orders for possession Part 5A—Residential tenancy databases 99A Definitions 99B Application 99C Extra-territorial operation of Part 99D Notice of usual use of database 99E Notice of listing if database used 99F Listing can be made only for particular breaches by particular persons 99G Further restriction on listing 99H Ensuring quality of listing—landlord's or agent's obligation 99I Ensuring quality of listing—database operator's obligation 99J Providing copy of personal information listed 99K Keeping personal information listed 99L Powers of Tribunal 99M Notifying relevant non‑parties of Tribunal order about listing Part 6—Residential Tenancies Fund 100 Residential Tenancies Fund 101 Application of income 102 Accounts and audit Part 7—Rooming houses Division 1—Interpretation 103 Interpretation Division 1A—Registration of proprietors of designated rooming houses 103A Interpretation 103B Proprietors must be registered to carry on business relating to designated rooming houses 103C Registration 103D Annual return and fee 103E Notification of change in circumstances 103F Cancellation or suspension of registration 103G Review by Tribunal Division 2—Rooming house agreements 104 Standard terms of rooming house agreements 105 Copies of written agreements Division 3—House rules 105A House rules 105B Amendment of house rules 105C Application to Tribunal if house rules are considered unreasonable 105D Availability of house rules Division 4—Mutual rights and obligations of proprietors and residents Subdivision 1—Rent and other charges 105E Permissible consideration and statutory charges 105F Rent in advance 105G Duty to provide statement or give receipt for payments 105H Payment of rent by electronic transaction 105I Rent increases 105J Rent decreases Subdivision 2—Bonds 105K Bond 105L Receipt of bond and transmission to Commissioner 105M Repayment of bond Subdivision 3—Other obligations of proprietor 105N Use and enjoyment of room and facilities 105O Security of premises and personal property 105P Obligation to repair and keep room and premises clean 105PA Minimum efficiency standards 105Q Sale of rooming house Subdivision 4—Other obligations of resident 105R General obligations of resident Subdivision 5—Miscellaneous 105S Accelerated rent and liquidated damages 105T Goods not to be taken in lieu of amounts owing to proprietor Division 5—Termination of rooming house agreement 105U Termination of rooming house agreement 105UA Termination based on abuse of rooming house resident 105V Abandoned room 105W Abandoned property Part 8—Dispute resolution Division 1—Conciliation Subdivision 1—Definitions for this Division 106 Definitions Subdivision 2—Conciliation of dispute by Commissioner 107 Conciliation of dispute by Commissioner Subdivision 4—Duties and procedure 108A Functions of Commissioner in conciliation of dispute 108B Procedure 108C Restriction on evidence Division 2—Intervention 109 Power to intervene Division 3—Powers of the Tribunal 110 Powers of Tribunal 111 Conditional and alternative orders 112 Restraining orders Division 4—Representation 113 Representation 114 Remuneration of representative Division 5—Other matters 114A Internal review in relation to certain orders Part 9—Miscellaneous 115 Contract to avoid Act 117 Notice by landlord not waived by acceptance of rent 117A Liability to prosecution not to derogate from civil liability 118 Exemptions 119 Tribunal may exempt agreement or premises from provision of Act 120 Service 121 Regulations and fee notices Schedule 1—Transitional provisions—Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous) Amendment Act 2013 1 Interpretation 2 Operation of amendments 3 Registrar and deputy registrars 4 Jurisdiction of Tribunal 5 Interest payable on repayment of bond 6 Abandoned property 7 Application to existing house rules 8 Other provisions Schedule 2—Transitional provisions—Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous) Amendment Act 2016 1 Interpretation 2 Operation of amendments Schedule 3—Transitional provisions—Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous) Amendment Act 2023 1 Interpretation 2 Operation of amendments 3 Abandoned property 4 Internal review 5 Other provisions Legislative history