Bring back and strengthen our protection from 'renoviction’
The Hon. Anoulack Chanthivong, Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading
Sign THe petition urging Minister for Fair Trading Anoulack Chanthivong to reverse this sudden decision and return to the original set of evidence requirements.
On Friday, 20th June, only five weeks after the new rental laws came into effect, ending no-grounds evictions, the NSW government significantly weakened the rules surrounding evictions for renovations or repairs. This puts renters at greater risk of falling victim to a practice referred to as “renovictions” – unfair evictions hidden behind a smokescreen of renovations or repairs.
The rules introduced on 19th May 2025 required landlords who wanted to evict a tenant for significant renovations or repairs to provide both a written statement and a choice of one of 5 pieces of evidence. The additional evidence could be a quote from a licensed builder or tradesperson, development consent, or receipts for purchased building materials. These evidence rules were established to ensure that claims to repossess a property for renovation or repair were genuine, not merely a tactic to unfairly evict tenants.
Now, the NSW government has removed those additional evidence requirements, leaving only a written statement as the evidence required when seeking termination to renovate the premises.
This sudden change occurred without consultation, published evidence of the need for the amendment, or a warning to those affected, leading tenants’ rights advocates to raise serious concerns about the integrity of the entire reform process.
There is still time to reverse this sudden decision, return to the original set of evidence requirements and recommit to community consultation-guided decision making.
Sign the petition to ensure Minister Chanthivong knows that the community of renters in NSW does not want to live under the threat of unfair eviction disguised as an intention to do significant renovation or repairs.
NSW renters and advocates have fought long and hard to ban no-grounds evictions. Let’s not allow this weakened regulation to undermine our hard-earned wins!
Petition by
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To:
The Hon. Anoulack Chanthivong, Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading
From:
[Your Name]
Dear Minister Chanthivong,
Through this petition, we urge you to reconsider your decision from June 20, 2025, to weaken the rules surrounding terminations on the grounds of significant renovations or repairs.
The new tenancy rules, which came into effect on 19th May 2025, were established to ensure that claims to recover a property for renovation or repairs were genuine and not merely a tactic to unfairly evict tenants. Allowing landlords to evict their tenants with only a written statement just isn't enough to protect people from falling victim to "renovictions".
In Canada, where "renovictions" have become a frequent issue, the government is in the process of tightening protections against this practice. Various provinces and cities have passed rules that require stronger evidence, including building permits or reports from qualified professionals stating that the repairs or renovations require vacant possession. They also often require the ability for the tenant to return to the property after work performed with no rent increase, or even compensation for moving costs in some circumstances.
The safety and stability of NSW renters' lives are at risk once again, only weeks after they breathed a sigh of relief at the end of no-grounds provisions. However, there is still time to reverse this sudden decision and return to the original set of evidence requirements that the government enacted on 19th May, following extensive consultation and discussion.
We urge you to reinstate the original set of evidence requirements for terminations on grounds of significant renovations or repairs.
Thank you.