Your house, My home: Rethinking renting in WA

The Residential Tenancies Act review is ongoing. Consumer Protection will be update this page as changes occur.

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The consultation is closed but you can still read the public consultation paper.

Consumer Protection is reviewing the Residential Tenancies Act 1987 (WA) (RTA) to consider what changes are needed in light of Western Australia’s changing tenancy market.  

Although the review is ongoing, changes will occur in phases.

What are the proposed changes?

As part of the first phase of the review, the following changes are proposed:

• Tenants will be allowed to keep pets unless it is reasonable for the landlord to refuse
• Rent increases will be limited to once every 12 months
• Tenants will have greater freedom to make minor modifications to their rental home eg. putting hooks on a wall
• The bond disposal process will be easier by allowing landlords and tenants to separately apply for the release of the bond
• Most bond and pet disputes will be referrable to the Commissioner for Consumer Protection rather than the Magistrates Court
• Landlords and real estate agents will be prohibited from encouraging tenants to offer a higher rent to secure a property (known as ‘rent bidding’) ie. a landlord can not ask you to offer more rent to out bid other tenants.

‘Without grounds termination’ is being retained because of current rental market conditions and to ensure certainty for landlords and investors.

• Decision Regulatory Impact Statement (DRIS 1) released in May 2023
• Review of the Residential Tenancies Act 1987 (WA) consultation paper released in December 2019

Stakeholder consultation

More than 350 stakeholders provided feedback on the public consultation paper including:

• tenants
• lessors
• tenant advocates and property industry groups
• property managers and real estate agents.

Next steps

The process for drafting changes to tenancy laws will now commence.  Consultation will continue with stakeholders.

Consumer Protection is developing recommendations to be presented to the Government in the second phase of the review including changes to:

• Information landlords must give tenants before signing a lease
• Information landlords are allowed to seek from potential tenants
• Setting minimum standards for rental properties
• Maintenance and repairs
• Tenant responsibility for wilful damage 
• Regulating boarding, lodging and room-by-room rentals.

Further information 

Enquiries can be made by calling the Consumer Protection Advice Line on 1300 304 054 or by email.