By -

Reforms that will affect the 2.3 million people in New South Wales who rent their home, ensure a balance between the rights of tenants and owners, according to the state government.

Under the changes which come into force today, owners will be required to provide a valid reason for ending a lease and longer notice periods will apply to some leases. If renters find a new property after receiving notice of eviction, they’ll also find it easier to end their lease early.

In addition to ending no-grounds evictions, the government is also allowing tenants to apply to keep pets. Owners will only be able to turn down applications for a specific set of reasons, such as a failure to comply with local council laws. If owners do not respond to applications within 21 days, approval will be automatic.

And finally, renters must be able to pay their rent with a method such as direct bank transfer, which does not incur a fee.

The NSW Government’s Rental Taskforce will have the responsibility of enforcing the new laws.

Premier Chris Minns says the changes will make renting fairer. “More people than ever are renting, and they are renting for longer, so these reforms improve security and fairness in the rental market.

“These are sensible reforms and with more than 2 million renters in NSW and over 600,000 investors, we have taken the time to get these major changes right,” says Minns.

Acting Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading Paul Scully says the changes create a more balanced rental market, ensuring that owners have clear and transparent processes to follow.

“Agents and landlords who choose to flout the laws should be aware that the Rental Taskforce will act on serious breaches of the new rental laws,” says Scully.

Information about the new laws is available on the NSW Fair Trading website.