New laws to deal with tenants leaving share houses have been proposed by the ACT government.
Extra rights and protections for "occupants" of student accommodation, boarding houses and crisis shelters have also been floated, in draft laws released for public consultation.
The government is planning further tweaks to the territory's residential tenancy laws, as it seeks to update and simplify rules relating to temporary housing.
The proposed reforms come on top of recently-introduced changes to ACT rental laws, which apply to new leases signed after November 1. Among the new reforms are measures to make it easier for renters to keep pets and make minor modifications in properties.
The government said existing laws dealing with tenants leaving a share house were overly complex, and did not align with "community expectations or behaviours".
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For example, as a rental lease is linked to the tenants who signed it, an agreement can cease if one of the tenants leaves. Under the government's proposed changes, remaining tenants would be able to grant permission for another tenant to exit the lease.
The existing lease arrangements would remain in place with the remaining tenants.
The changes will make it clear to landlords which of the tenants are responsible for any unpaid rent or property damage, according to the government.
Attorney-General Gordon Ramsay, who is spearheading the reforms, has also flagged extra safeguards for people living in student accommodation, boarding houses and emergency housing.
Residents of those types of accommodation are considered "occupants", rather than tenants, of a property, meaning they have fewer legal rights and protections.
Mr Ramsay's proposed new laws would force "grantors" - who are the equivalent of landlords - would have to provide a property condition reports to residents. Occupants would also be given the right to start a dispute in the ACT Humans Rights Commission.
The changes will also clarify basic expectation of an occupant, including that they don't harass or intimate those living around them.
"Occupants, especially those in emergency accommodation or in housing support programs, may have particular vulnerabilities and a greater need for accommodation that is free from harassment and intimidation," a statement explaining the legislation said.
Public feedback on the proposed changes is open until January 24.
The government expect to introduce draft laws to the ACT Legislative Assembly later this year.
