If you have been affected by a bushfire, storm or flood, we can help you with everyday legal problems including tenancy.
Call us on 1800 801 529 between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday
You have rights
If you are a tenant and the property you are living in is damaged or destroyed after a disaster, you have rights to ask for a reduction or a suspension in the rent you have to pay. You can also ask the landlord to pay for urgent repairs or if the property is uninhabitable (wholly or in part) you can give an early termination notice to leave the property before the end of your lease.
All agreements you make with the landlord or the real estate agent should be in writing.
If you and the landlord do not agree, the dispute can be resolved at the New South Wales Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) www.ncat.nsw.gov.au
The Tenants Union has useful Tenants Rights Factsheets including about disaster damage here https://www.tenants.org.au/factsheet-22-disaster-damage
For legal advice about your rights as a tenant and applying to NCAT contact:
- Disaster Response Legal Service NSW on 1800 801 529
- Your local Tenants Advice and Advocacy Service – contact details are available here https://www.tenants.org.au/