The new laws will better support more than 40,000 people who call these communities home, including caravan parks and manufactured estates with permanent residents who lease land by:
- Updating requirements for operators about the fees and charges residents pay to make them make them more transparent and make future increases to costs more predictable.
- Protecting residents from excessive electricity price rises for communities with embedded networks by applying a price cap.
- Giving residents the right to turn their house into a home by making minor changes to a property without the operator’s approval.
- Increasing the notice period operators must give homeowners for ending an agreement from 90 days to 120 days where the site is no longer useable as a residence.
New requirements on what information must be included in a utility bill and an obligation to provide these bills to residents at least once every three months will start on 11 December 2024.
More on the new laws for residential land lease communities can be found on the NSW Fair Trading website.
Quotes to be attributed to NSW Fair Trading Commissioner, Natasha Mann
“Residential land lease communities offer safe, affordable homes to more than 40,000 living in 500 communities across the State. These communities provide diverse housing options for residents and are largely located in regional and rural areas.”
“These new laws address some of the ongoing concerns and challenges of residents who call these communities home. It is levelling the playing field and making life in these communities fairer.”
“Residents can expect enhanced clarity on what they need to pay, more time to find a new place to live if needed and greater freedom to turn their house into a home.”
