The State Government has put in place its first round of rental reforms, in a bid to even the power imbalance between renters and landlords.
Fines for as much as $50,000 now apply to landlords who are caught breaking new rules, which includes re-claiming the property and terminating renters under false pretences, and raising rents more than once per year.
Renters will now be fined more than $25,000 for causing serious damage.
The round of changes came into effect on Friday, preceding another more complex round later on this year as the Government works on drafting the new laws.
Consumer and Business Affairs Minister Andrea Michaels says the changes will make an impact on the renting crisis.
“We know how tough renting is at the moment, so to have this feed through and have a more balanced approach between landlords and tenants will certainly help,” Michaels said.
Listen to the full interview between Andrea Michaels and ARN‘s Chris Guscott on Around SA:
