A recent report on Domain, suggest that not all tenants are aware of certain rights as stated in the tenancy laws in New South Wales and these rights are worth knowing even if landlords religiously abide by the tenancy laws.
First is that tenancy laws suggest that steam cleaning the carpet is not always mandatory based on Section 19(2) of the Act. According to the Tenancy Laws fact sheet, the section actually prohibits the use of terms in a residential tenancy agreement that suggest that the tenant should have the carpet cleaned professionally, which includes steam cleaning, unless the tenant has agreed to this because he or she own a pets. In simple terms, if tenant does not own any pet, he is not obliged to have the carpet cleaned.
According to Domain, under the regulation, tenants have the right to know material truths. For instance, tenants must be informed that the premises are prone to flooding or bushfires. A tenant should also be informed if there are any health hazards in the premises or if a violent crime has happened in at least the past five years.
Third, tenant have the right to negotiate water bills. According to Tenancy Laws fact sheet, the Tenancy laws have suggested that if the premise's water supply are not efficient, the tenant has the right to negotiate payment with the landlord. Furthermore, for a tenant to pay the water bill, there should be a separate water meter and that the water supply should be efficient.
Another surprising fact is that tenants have the right to make minor changes or alterations. According to Domain, simple changes like adding hooks to hang pictures or even adding a shelf should be permitted by landlords. There are many other rights that only a few tenants are aware of. It would not hurt both the landlord and the tenant to know them.
