Elise Archer,Minister for Building and Construction
The Tasmanian Government is committed to supporting Tasmanians through the challenges faced by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Today, the Government is announcing that it will extend certain protections for residential tenants until 30 September 2020. This timing will bring Tasmania into line with the expiry of protections in most other states and territories.
The Government will do this by extending the emergency period in the Residential Tenancy Act 1997 until 30 September 2020 and issuing further Notices under the COVID-19 Disease Emergency (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2020.
These Notices will prevent rent increases and evictions following a Notice to vacate issued by a property owner.
Some minor changes to the protections will be made to allow for a Notice to vacate for a lease of no fixed period in the event of sale of property, major renovations or for the owner or a close family member to move into the property.
Existing exemptions to the protections, which allow for termination for unlawful use of a property or for wilful damage and violence, will remain in place.
In March, the Government put in place measures to restrict residential tenancy inspections to emergency reasons only. Recognising the easing of COVID-19 restrictions in Tasmania, the Residential Tenancy Commissioner will shortly issue a Notice which will remove the restrictions on rental inspections from 30 June 2020.
Significant protocols have now been put in place to ensure social distancing and personal hygiene measures are implemented for all residential tenancy inspections. These are outlined, in detail, in the Real Estate COVID-Safe Workplace Guidelines available on the Worksafe Tasmania website.
I would like to thank Tasmanian residential tenants, landlords and property agents for their understanding and patience during this very difficult period. The Government recognises it has not been easy for many and will continue to support them where possible.
