Hobart Woman Left Without Tenancy Rights After Signing Invalid Sublet Agreement

Katie, a young woman in Hobart, found herself in a difficult situation when she signed a "residential sublet agreement" with a company called Arx Pty Ltd. The agreement, which Katie later learned was invalid, left her and her housemates without any tenancy rights in Tasmania.

Arx, a company that describes itself as "leveraging insights to benefit tenants and landlords", inserted itself under the property manager to "sublet" the house. However, under Tasmanian law, anyone who sublets must also occupy the premises. Since Arx was a company and did not occupy the house, the agreement was deemed invalid.

Katie and her housemate became increasingly concerned with how Arx was operating, particularly when comments about maintenance issues were removed from the house's WhatsApp group and one housemate was removed from the group entirely. They sought legal advice and learned that they had no recourse through the courts.

Katie and her housemate intend to go to court to attempt to have their rent returned. They believe that Arx is taking advantage of the difficult rental market in Tasmania, especially for single people.

The Tasmanian government has been aware of the lack of regulations for subtenants for some time and has promised to review the Residential Tenancy Act to introduce subletting provisions. However, this review is not expected to be completed until mid-2027.

In the meantime, Katie and other subtenants in Tasmania are left in a vulnerable position, with no legal protection and limited options for recourse.