Proposed changes to the Retail Leases Act 1994

Almost three years after the NSW Government released a discussion paper inviting members of the retail industry to comment on issues they had concerning the Retail Leases Act 1994 (Act), an exposure draft of the Retail Leases Amendment Bill 2011 (Bill) has been released for public comment.  Click here to view the Bill.

The Bill proposes to make the following key changes to the Act:

1. to require that a lessor issue a lessor's disclosure statement if requested by a lessee before a lessee exercises an option to renew a lease;

2. to include the cost of outgoings in the list of costs that a lessee is not required to contribute to unless the liability is disclosed in the lessor's disclosure statement;