Today is International Tenants’ Day and the Tenants’ Union is celebrating the passing of legislation to introduce minimum standards in Tasmania. Even though some of the standards will not take effect until 2017, it’s important to get the word out now so landlords and agents can start making their properties compliant.

The standards require all tenanted properties to be:

• Weatherproof and structurally sound
• Clean and in good repair
• Equipped with bathroom and toilet
• Serviced with a kitchen sink, hotplates and an oven (which can be a microwave)
• Supplied with electricity and one fixed form of heating
• Provided with curtains (except properties owned by Housing Tasmania)
• Adequately ventilated

Internationally, this year’s theme is tenure neutrality, meaning that there should be no financial difference between renting and owning a home.