Property 101: NT rental tenancy rights and responsibilities
Jonathan ChancellorDecember 7, 2020
The Tenancy Unit within Consumer Affairs provides services to tenants and landlords/agent of residential properties in the Northern Territory.
The legislative responsibilities of tenants and landlords are outlined in the Residential Tenancies Act.
The landlord/tenant relationship is usually harmonious but difficulties do arise, and sometimes landlords and tenants have different ideas of their respective rights and responsibilities.
Landlords are allowed to pass on the full cost of water consumption provided:
• the rental premises are individually metered, and
• the tenancy agreement states the tenant must pay for water consumption.
However, a landlord cannot ask a tenant to pay for charges, levies, rates or taxes, other than a charge payable by the owner or occupier of the premises for electricity, gas or water supplied to the premises.
From 1 June 2015, applications in relation to the Residential Tenancies Act are heard by the Northern Territory Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NTCAT). Applications are required to be lodged on a NTCAT form.
This form, as well as advice on NTCAT procedures and processes, can be found on the NTCAT website:
Northern Territory Consumer Affairs will continue to provide assistance with information and advice on all tenancies matters and notices, excluding Residential Tenancy Applications and processes.
For more information, click here.
Jonathan Chancellor
Jonathan Chancellor is one of Australia's most respected property journalists, having been at the top of the game since the early 1980s. Jonathan co-founded the property industry website Property Observer and has written for national and international publications.