21 April 2020
WA Parliament has passed new legislation banning evictions and rent increases for six months.
The laws aim to help keep tenants in homes and protect businesses during the COVID-19 downturn.
The eviction ban will be backdated to March 30.
The new laws include:
- restriction on penalties for tenants who do not trade or reduce their trading hours;
- no interest to be charged on rent arrears;
- the introduction of an enhanced dispute resolution process; and
- a prohibition on landlords progressing proceedings that occurred after the restrictions were imposed but before these laws come into operation.
A code of conduct, based on the recently-announced National Cabinet Code of Conduct, will provide a framework for negotiations between landlords and tenants.
Premier Mark McGowan has called on both parties to enter negotiations “with a sense of shared destiny”.
“Business closures will benefit no-one, so mutually-acceptable arrangements are urgently required to help save these businesses so they can bounce back quickly.”
