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Residential Tenancies Amendment Act 2024 – changes to tenancy terminations in force
Changes to tenancy terminations came into force on 30 January 2025 as part of the Residential Tenancies Amendment Act which was passed in December 2024.
The following changes relating to tenancy terminations came into force on 30 January 2025:
- Tenants can end their periodic tenancy with 21 days’ notice, as long as notice has not already been given.
- Landlords can terminate a periodic tenancy with ‘no cause’ by providing 90 days’ notice.
- Landlords can end a periodic tenancy with 42 days’ notice for specific grounds if certain requirements are met and as long as notice has not already been given, including if the owner or their family requires the premises for their principal place of residence, there is an unconditional sale of the property, or the property is required for employees or contractors of the landlord.
- Fixed-term tenancies automatically convert to periodic tenancies unless:
- a tenant or landlord gives notice to end a fixed-term tenancy between 90 and 21 days before the fixed term ends. No specific reason is required; or - both the tenant and landlord agree on an alternative. - If a landlord terminates the tenancy due to a tenant exercising their rights or due to an authorised party becoming involved, the tenant can apply to the Tenancy Tribunal to have the notice confirmed as retaliatory and declared an unlawful act.
Next steps
On 20 March 2025 further changes to the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 will come into effect. The changes include modernising how notices and documents are given, clarifying that a clause in a tenancy agreement prohibiting smoking indoors is enforceable, and allowing an email address to be used as an address for service in Tenancy Tribunal applications.
Other law changes such as the provisions for pet consent rules, pet bonds and pet liability provisions will come into effect on a date to be set by Order in Council.
Read more about the law changes - external link