The Rent Increase Letter
A tenant receives a letter: "Dear resident, following a review, your rent will increase from $420 to $455 per week, starting 1 March. Rent is paid fortnightly by bank transfer. If you believe this increase is unfair, you may apply to the tribunal within 30 days of receiving this letter. The letter is dated 2 February and you received it on 6 February."
The tenant's fortnightly payment has been $840. They want to know the new fortnightly amount and whether they can challenge the increase.
1. What will the new fortnightly rent be, and when is the first increased payment due?
Read the worked answer
New weekly rent is $455. Fortnightly = $455 × 2 = $910.
The increase starts 1 March. Payments are fortnightly, so the first payment that includes 1 March onwards should be at the new rate. The tenant should check their payment dates, but any fortnight beginning on or after 1 March is $910.
Answer: $910 per fortnight from the first payment period starting 1 March.
2. By what date can the tenant apply to the tribunal?
Read the worked answer
The letter says "within 30 days of receiving this letter." The key date is when it was received, not when it was dated.
Received 6 February. Count 30 days from 6 February. February has 28 days in a non-leap year, so 6 February + 22 days = 28 February, leaving 8 more days = 8 March.
Answer: About 8 March. The tenant should not rely on the 2 February date, which would give a shorter, wrong deadline.