‘Stupid’ ruling hurts landlords with interstate tenancy disputes in NSW

“It doesn’t make any sense when there is a purpose-built tribunal that can handle them.”

For situations when the property, landlord and tenant are all based in NSW, NCAT is still able to be involved, but for landlords that live interstate, NCAT is just not an option.

Normally, if you have a tenancy issue, you got to NCAT, you go to tribunal, and it’s a purpose-built tribunal for tenancy issues, and so it’s a fairly simply process, and it’s fairly quick.

But now, if you have got a property in NSW, but one of the parties is not, so if you as a landlord live in Queensland or Victoria or wherever, NCAT is not able to hear your matter. It’s got to go to court.

The REINSW and Ms Pilkington lobbied for an amendment to be added to NSW legislation that allows for tribunals to double as a court for specific cases, which then allows for interstate parties to easily be involved.

“It’s just one simple line in the legislation in Queensland that allows them to hear the tenancy issues no matter where the parties are, and for whatever reason in NSW, they won’t do that. It makes no sense,” Ms Pilkington said.

“I can’t give you any logic around it. I wish I could.”

“The NSW government must act swiftly and effectively and make an amendment to the legislation through Parliament as quickly as possible,” said REINSW CEO Tim McKibbin in a statement.

Tags:

• Latest

Share