The Residential Tenancies Amendment Act No 2 passed on 30th July. There are several ways that landlords and tenants will be affected but our concern is with the implications with Meth Contamination.
The Act has gone some way towards making it clear how to address meth contamination in rental properties by bringing in regulations. Regulations will eliminate some of the uncertainty and confusion that currently exists partly due to the existing framework being a voluntary standard. The downside is that the new framework hasn’t yet been established and could be up to a year away. Our presumption is that the new framework should provide clarity for house buyers.
The new framework will provide a new regulated safe level. We don’t know what this level will be, but it has been speculated that it will be at a level lower than the Gluckman Report level of 15.0 micrograms per 100cm2.
There will be the introduction of a $4,000 for landlords knowingly renting Meth Contaminated properties.
Overall, we are happy that new regulations are coming but waiting up to a year will mean that alot of people get caught out by the current confusion.