New legislation by the NSW Government is set to remove barriers to pet ownership for renters across the state.
The new legislation, set to be introduced to parliament in October, will mean that landlords can no longer refuse pets without a valid reason. Currently, a tenant can request to keep a pet but the landlord can refuse without providing any reason.
Trina Jones, NSW Rental Commissioner, said this is another important step towards a fair, quality, affordable rental experience in NSW.
“We are working closely with renters, landlords, the RSPCA, animal welfare organisations, agents and advocates to ensure these proposed reforms can be implemented successfully.”
The public consultation process received more than 16,000 submissions and survey responses which reaffirmed that renters find it too hard to have pets in their homes.
According to the RSPCA, one in five animals they receive in NSW has been surrendered due concerns about rental applications.
Anoulack Chanthivong, Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading, said they know that renters have been calling out for change so they have developed a broad package that will make renting fairer and increase clarity for property owners.
“There are 2.2 million renters across the state and we’re getting on with the job to create a more modern rental market that works for property owners and renters alike.”
The current rental market in NSW is the toughest that renters have seen for decades, with historically low vacancy rates, and median rent prices for houses increasing by around 7 per cent over the last 12 months.
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