The Residential Tenancies (Amendment ) Act 2024 (the “RTA 2024”) came into operation on 19 July 2024.

The purpose of the RTA 2024 is to amend the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 in respect of student specific accommodation (SSA) tenancies / licences.

The key changes in the RTA 2024 Act are as follows:

  1. permits advance payment of rent exceeding an amount equivalent to one month’s rent, only where a person is paying both rent and tuition fees to the same relevant provider (i.e. a public or private educational provider);
  2. limits the duration of a tenancy / licence, other than at the request of the prospective tenant / licensee, to not more than 41 weeks;
  3. applies Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) sanctions for “improper conduct” by a SSA landlord / licensor for exceeding that duration of 41 weeks;
  4. provides for the referral of disputes to the RTB where an SSA landlord / licensor requests or requires a student to enter into an SSA tenancy / licence that exceeds a duration of 41 weeks; and
  5. enables a fixed term tenant / licensee of student specific accommodation to serve a notice of termination during the period from 1 May to 1 October, inclusive, in any year whether or not the SSA landlord/licensor has failed to comply with any obligations of the SSA tenancy / licence.

Please note the RTA 2004 applies to a SSA tenancy / SSA licence created or a dwelling available for occupation under a tenancy on or after 20 July 2024.

For updated information please see Student Specific Accommodation webpage.