Changes to Minimum Housing Standards in South Australia: What Landlords and Tenants Need to Know

Numerous changes were made to South Australian tenancy law in 2024, with these updates needing to be fully understood by landlords and tenants alike. In particular, Regulation 15(e) of the Housing Improvement Regulations 2017 could mean that your property requires changes to its external doors and locks, with landlords obligated to make repairs to remain compliant. Here, we delve into the details to help South Australians understand the changes to local housing regulations.

What is Regulation 15(e)?

According to the Government of South Australia’s Housing Safety Authority, Regulation 15(e) of the Housing Improvement Regulations 2017 has the following definition:

“Each external door in the residential premises must be fitted with a lock that is able to be operated from the outside with a key and unlocked from the inside without a key.”

As a landlord, this could mean making repairs or installing new external doors and locks, as failing to do so could mean your rental property is no longer compliant.

Regulation 15(e) examples

To help landlords and tenants understand whether a rental property is compliant, South Australia’s Housing Safety Authority has produced several examples that illustrate whether changes need to be made. Here are some scenarios to help you understand your situation.

Compliant scenarios

• Example 1: A front door has a lock that requires a key to unlock from the outside, but is capable of being unlocked from the inside without a key.
• Example 2: The door from an apartment that leads directly into the residents’ communal area where lifts and stairs can be accessed. A door lock requires a key to unlock from the outside, but does not require a key to exit the apartment.

Non-compliant scenarios

• Example 1: A sliding patio door is locked from the outside with a key. A key is needed to unlock the patio door from the inside to open it. This is considered non-compliant as this is the only lock on the door and it requires a key to open it from the inside.
• Example 2: A shed converted into a self-contained granny flat. The external door cannot be unlocked without a key. This is considered non-compliant as the requirements include sheds and other buildings as habitable rooms.

Why was Regulation 15(e) introduced?

There’s no doubt the primary reason for these changes was safety. In situations like fires, floods, and medical emergencies, if the occupant can’t leave or be accessed quickly due to missing keys and locked doors, there’s a genuine risk of serious injury or death. Meanwhile, these updates to minimum housing standards are designed to protect tenants, especially vulnerable populations, like the elderly, people with disabilities and children.

Speak to the experts

Need to learn more about local housing regulations? Get in touch with the experts at Instyle Property Management. Our award-winning and family-owned specialist property management agency has a highly experienced team that can help manage your property to success.