New South Wales Labor Department vows to change rules on pets, evictions in rental properties ahead of 2023 state elections

New South Wales renters could find it easier to keep pets at home under key promises made ahead of the 2023 state elections.

Opposition leader Chris Mins said that if Labor is elected on March 23, his government will ask why landlords can deny tenants’ requests to keep pets and how long they have to make a decision. stated that it would make significant changes to the rules regarding

Under the proposed new system, a general pet request form will be available and rental property owners will have 21 days to make a decision.

If the application is denied, the landlord must provide reasons, along with a prescribed list of reasons determined by the “Rental Commissioner,” which has not yet been established.

Applications that do not receive a response within the allotted 21 days are automatically approved.

“The refusal to allow pets as a blanket rule limits the ability of renters to find suitable and affordable housing,” a NSW workers statement read.

“Renters are competing for a limited number of pet-friendly properties, many of which are out of reach or difficult to obtain.”

The move is expected to make it easier to move away from domestic violence situations and reduce the number of pets abandoned or turned over to shelters statewide.

Over Christmas, the RSPCA has more than 27,000 animals under its care, and rental limits were cited as a key factor.

Sunday’s announcement builds on a comprehensive set of promises to tenants by the NSW Labor Party, which has also pledged to reduce the number of reasons tenants can be evicted and remove security deposit payments from certain rental properties. We allow you to move to another rental property.

Rent is expected to be a key issue ahead of state elections, with skyrocketing prices and low availability putting pressure on millions across the state.

An analysis of Australian Institute of Health and Welfare figures reveals a more than 10% increase in the number of NSW residents seeking professional homeless support between 2021 and 2022.

Data from SQM Research shows average rents in Sydney rose 23.2% in the 12 months to 4 January, with average home rents of $898 per week and $592 per unit.

Research shows that Sydney boasts the highest rental prices in the country, with an average weekly home cost of $714 and a unit of $528.

In December, Liberal Prime Minister Dominic Perrotet announced that NSW would ban the practice of “rent bidding,” which allows realtors to allow future tenants to pay more to secure a property for rent.