Legislative Changes to RTA 4A
Submission for Legislative changes to the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 – Part 4A
MHOA is actively seeking changes to the current legislation and formation of a separate Act for land-lease villages and a review and change to the sections of the current legislation which fail to meet the requirements of this housing sector and fail to provide acceptable protection of the rights of the homeowners.
MHOA submits that this housing sector is unique in that the residents in the land-lease villages own their homes outright, with no mortgages permitted, while leasing the land on which the home is sited. This situation places the residents in a sometimes-difficult scenario, where there is an imbalance of power between the land/village owner and the homeowners. It is MHOA’s belief that there needs to be stand-alone legislation for this housing sector, to ensure a more equitable balance of power.
‘One rule fits all’ does not apply with changes in land-lease village structures now including ‘life-style’resorts, with more expensive and up-market facilities that then bring in more complex site agreements, which can be manipulated by the village owners.
With no central registration requirements and no standard site agreements, there is an urgent need for changes to the Act, as current arrangements in these villages are open to many unfair and sometimes illegal rules and behaviours.
Future legislation should be able to move with the growth in this housing sector to ensure it remains a secure and financially viable option for homeowners.
