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Homes in Tasmania could soon become safer for renters after new changes were introduced to Parliament.
The Tasmanian government is seeking to make homes safer for renters, introducing a new bill to make it easier for tenants to affix furniture to premises.
The new bill would amend the Residential Tenancy Act 1997, and would enable renters to affix furniture in place to reduce the risk of injury or death from movement of that furniture.
Minister for Small Business, Trade and Consumer Affairs, Guy Barnett, said the bill would enable better safety for tenants while protecting owners.
“Where affixing the furniture will not cause permanent damage, no consent from the owner is needed,” Barnett said.
“If permanent damage will result, the tenant will need to seek the consent of the owner first.”
Under the changes, the owner of the property must respond to the request within 14 days, and consent to affix the furniture must not be unreasonably refused.
If the owner refuses the request and the tenant believes the refusal to be unreasonable, they can apply to the Residential Tenancy Commissioner to authorise the modification.
Barnett said the changes highlight how the government is getting on with the job and delivering on what matters for residents.
“We are striking the right balance between improving safety for tenants and protecting owners,” he said.
“Our government considers that the reforms contained in the bill maintain a balance between the rights and safety of the tenants with the interests of the owner.”
Under the Residential Tenancy Act, renters have an obligation to return the property to the condition it was in at the beginning of the tenancy, aside from reasonable wear and tear.
At the end of the tenancy, any damage as a result of affixing furniture will need to be rectified by the tenant.
If the damage is not rectified, the owner can make a claim against the bond.
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