Are you ready for the Residential Tenancy Act Reforms?
Here are some of the most common questions we’re hearing about the ACT’s Residential Tenancy Act reforms.
Do I need to order a rental certificate?
Under the upcoming Residential Tenancy Act reforms, S119 Rental Certificates will be required for properties in strata-titled buildings or complexes before they can be offered to new tenants starting 9 January 2025.
To avoid potential delays that could impact your rental income, you can order your certificate through Civium now and ensure you’re prepared ahead of time.
Why does the rental certificate cost $332.00?
The $332.00 fee for rental certificate has been determined by the ACT Government (in this case, by the Attorney-General). This fee covers five years of certificates, so you won’t need to pay for updates or new certificates during this period.
Civium understands that the fee was set to reflect the administrative work required by Owners Corporations and their Managers over the five year period of validity.
Why have these certificate been implemented?
The ACT Government introduced this requirement to improve transparency for tenants. This is not a Civium initiative — we’re simply facilitating the process to help Owners Corporations and landlords meet their legal obligations.
For guidance on your property’s requirements and the best time to obtain the certificate, we recommend speaking with your property manager.
What is included in the certificate?
The Unit Titles Rental Certificate includes the following details
- Owners Corporation Rules (House Rules and any Special Privileges)
- Embedded Network information
- Swimming Pool Compliance
- Ceiling Insulation information is required for all units in A-class developments, but practically, top-floor units must specifically disclose the R-value of their ceiling insulation.
How does this detail help the tenant?
By providing detailed information about the building, tenants will better understand what is and isn’t permitted within the complex.
Information such as embedded network details will reference suppliers to which the tenant may or may not have access.
Additionally, minimum ceiling insulation requirements are now mandatory across many rental properties in the ACT (standalone or Class B complexes).
Do I need this certificate if I have a current lease in place?
No, the requirement to procure a S119 Rental Certificate is only when entering into a new Residential Tenancy Agreement or renewing a current Tenancy Agreement (refer to Residential Tenancy Act 1997).
Your property manager will be able to guide you in this regard, but we suggest holding off on ordering and paying for your S119 Rental Certificate until you need it to re-let or lease your property.
