Real Estate offices may have received an email from NSW Fair Trading on 28 February regarding a New Condition report for residential tenancies. The prescribed report has been changed by the addition of ‘window safety devices’ wherever ‘windows/screens’ appears. This change is effective from 1 March 2014.

eForms
For those offices using EAC eForms the necessary changes have been made and the updated form is now available for use.

Printed Forms
If you are using EAC printed forms these forms may still be used BUT YOU MUST write in the additional words”/window safety devices” as outlined above.

So on the form wherever you see “windows/screens” you must change this to “windows/screens/window safety devices”

The example above shows the change to EAC’s Condition Report on our eForms system.

These changes do not impose any obligation on the landlord to install window safety devices if none exist.

EAC believe that the notice provided by Fair Trading of this change was inadequate and is seeking clarification from Fair Trading as to the practicality of these changes and the likely implications for leasing and managing agents and members will be informed as soon as this advice comes to hand.

EAC Members may direct any questions they have to our Helpline on 1300 137 161.