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24-Jun-2024 | Housing & Homelessness

SYC's RentRight SA Service Named State's Tenant Advice and Advocacy Service

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We are pleased to announce that SYC’s RentRight SA service has been named South Australia's new Tenant Advice and Advocacy Service and has been awarded additional funding by the SA Government. This recognition comes as part of the Malinauskas Labor Government's reforms to the state’s rental laws, the most substantial in a generation, set to commence on 1 July.

Currently, SYC’s RentRight SA service provides comprehensive assistance to tenants, including guidance through SACAT proceedings, advice on rights and responsibilities, and support in resolving tenancy disputes. In 2023 alone, our service offered over 26,000 instances of support, advice, and referrals to South Australian tenants. This additional funding will allow us to strengthen our advocacy for tenants and introduce new supports, including financial counselling.

As the newly appointed tenant advocacy body, RentRight SA will play a crucial role in supporting tenants and residents of residential parks across South Australia. Our key responsibilities will include:

  • Informing and advising tenants on their rights and responsibilities.
  • Supporting tenants with tenancy issues and at tribunal hearings.
  • Assisting tenants in completing necessary forms.
  • Advocating on behalf of tenants.
  • Providing financial counselling.
  • Informing strategic and operational policy formation at both agency and sector levels.

These landmark reforms, the most significant since the introduction of the Residential Tenancies Act in 1995, aim to enhance security for tenants facing record-low vacancy rates while ensuring landlords' rights are protected. Key changes include:

  • Landlords needing prescribed grounds to terminate or not renew a tenancy.
  • Increasing the notice period to end a tenancy from 28 to 60 days.
  • Allowing tenants to have pets in rental homes with reasonable conditions.
  • Better protection of tenants' information.
  • Ensuring rental properties comply with minimum housing standards.
  • Providing additional support for victims of domestic violence.

‘This new role underscores our commitment to addressing the housing affordability crisis and supporting South Australians in securing safe and stable housing. Our efforts, combined with the government’s ongoing initiatives, will ensure that renting can become a fairer and more secure process for everyone involved. We are proud to be at the forefront of these changes and look forward to positively impacting the lives of tenants across South Australia,’ said SYC CEO Mark Hoffman-Davis.

For more information or tenancy advice and support, please visit www.rentrightsa.net.au or call 1800 060 462.

RentRight SA’s Tenant Advice and Advocacy Service is supported by the Government of South Australia.

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