Update on rental tenancy changes due to COVID-19

Transitional arrangements for residential tenancies will be in place after the Declaration of Public Health Emergency has ceased.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting restrictions put some Territorians into financial difficulties. This resulted in the Northern Territory Government examining the Residential Tenancies Act 1999 and the Business Tenancies (Fair Dealings) Act 2003 to assist renters remaining in their rental properties for the duration of this crisis.

These measures generally cease at 11:59pm on 15 June 2022, as the Declaration of Public Health Emergency ends at that time.

Tenancy agreements signed on or after 16 June 2022 will be governed solely by the Residential Tenancies Act 1999 and as detailed in the guide to renting in the Northern Territory PDF (3.2 MB).

However, the modifications to the Residential Tenancies Act 1999 that existed during the COVID-19 public health emergency will generally continue to apply to those tenancy agreements that were signed before 16 June 2022, until the tenancy ends.

Further information about the changes from 16 June 2022 can be found in our transitional arrangement for residential tenancies fact sheet PDF (794.4 KB).