Northern Territory Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NTCAT)

Introduction

The Northern Territory Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NTCAT) is a super tribunal for the Northern Territory.

It was set up to help people quickly resolve disputes that would otherwise have been dealt with by the courts or other boards and tribunals. 

The tribunal:

  • is easily accessed by the public
  • resolves disputes quickly, using mediation and alternative dispute resolutions where possible
  • uses straightforward language
  • keeps costs to a minimum
  • is responsive, especially to people with special needs.

Get more information on the NTCAT website.

Hearing lists and decisions

To find out what cases are on at NTCAT, read the daily hearing lists published on the NTCAT website.

Selected NTCAT decisions are published on the Australian Legal Information Institute (AUSTLii) website.


Types of cases heard at NTCAT

NTCAT considers disputes and issues including:

  • disputes between landlords and tenants under the Residential Tenancies Act
  • disputes involving discrimination claims
  • applications to sell or redevelop unit complexes when not all unit title holders agree
  • reviews of licensing, planning and victims of crime payout decisions
  • small claims matters up to $25,000.

The types of matters heard by NTCAT will expand over time. Read the list of matters dealt by NTCAT PDF (611.8 KB).

Contact NTCAT if you are unsure whether your matter can be heard.


How to apply to NTCAT

Anyone in the Northern Territory (NT) can apply to NTCAT to review an administrative decision or resolve a civil dispute that is within NTCAT's jurisdiction.

How to apply

To start a case follow the below steps.

Step 1. Fill in the form

You can get the initiating application from the forms section of the NTCAT website.

If you are applying to change an existing NTCAT matter, you will need to fill in the ordinary application form.

Step 2. Check the fee

Find out what fee you will need to pay at the NTCAT website.

Step 3. Submit

You can submit your application and fee in any of the following ways:

Email

Send your application and credit card payment form to AGD.ntcat@nt.gov.au.

In person

Submit your application and fee at your nearest NTCAT office. If you live in a remote area you can submit your application and fee at your local NT court facility.

Mail

Send your application and credit card payment form to:

NTCAT
PO Box 41860
Casuarina NT 0810

After you apply

The registrar will decide whether to accept your application. Once the registrar has approved your application, you will receive a copy to serve to respondents.

A respondent is the individual or organisation against whom you have taken legal action.

Respondents will have a chance to file and serve a response.

After the response is filed and served

You and the respondents will be asked to attend a tribunal hearing. More than one hearing may be needed.

The tribunal may ask you and the respondents to attend a compulsory conference to work out how to settle your dispute. The conference is led by a member of the tribunal.


Serving NTCAT documents

This page has information for NTCAT applicants about how to serve documents to other parties. 

Who needs to serve documents

You must take reasonable steps to bring a document and its contents to the other party as soon as possible after your case starts.  

If NTCAT is not confident that a party has been served with a document, it may not go ahead with your case.

How to serve documents

You can serve documents directly to the party, or to someone representing the party. The following methods are likely to be accepted:

  • in person - handed over or delivered to the party's residential or business address
  • by mail - get a tracking number to prove the document reached the address
  • by email - get a read receipt or email reply to prove the documents were received.

These methods are guidelines only. For example, if your case is about a tenancy that has ended, it may not be enough to show that the document arrived at the rental property.

If you can't serve a document

If you have taken reasonable steps to serve a document without success, NTCAT may either:

  • tell you how to serve the document
  • or deal with the matter despite not being confident that service has taken place.

How to file a response

If you have been served with documents relating to an NTCAT matter, you can file a response to the applicant.

The response should outline the reasons why you oppose the application.

How to file a response

Fill in the response to an initiating application form. You can get a copy from the forms section of the NTCAT website.

After you have filled in the form you must serve a copy of the response to the applicant as soon as possible. Find out more about how to serve documents.

You can submit the application and fee in any of the following ways:

Email

AGD.ntcat@nt.gov.au.

In person

Submit your response at your nearest NTCAT office. If you live in a remote area you can submit your application and fee at your local NT court facility.

Mail

NTCAT
PO Box 41860
Casuarina NT 0810

After you apply

You will need to attend a hearing or conference as outlined in the initiating documentation. If you don't attend at the nominated time, findings, orders or decisions may be made in your absence.


Evidence and witness statements

This page has information for NTCAT applicants about presenting evidence and witness statements at a hearing.

Apply to present evidence at a hearing

If you would like to require a person to give evidence at your hearing, you may apply to NTCAT for an evidence summons. To apply follow the below steps.

Step 1. Fill in:

  • an application for evidence summons form and
  • an evidence summons form.

You can get both forms from the forms section of the NTCAT website.

Step 2. Submit both forms in any of the following ways:

Email
AGD.ntcat@nt.gov.au

In person
Submit your form at your nearest NTCAT office. If you live in a remote area you can submit your application and fee at your local NT court facility.

Mail
NTCAT
PO Box 41860
Casuarina NT 0810

Witness declaration statements

To submit a witness statement as part of your case, follow these steps:

Step 1. Get the witness to fill in an unattested declaration.

You can get the declaration from the forms section of the NTCAT website.

Step 2. Submit the form by email to AGD.ntcat@nt.gov.au or in person.


Attend a compulsory conference

If you have lodged a claim, or are responding to a claim made against you, you may have to go to a compulsory conference arranged by NTCAT.

If you have been called to a compulsory conference you must attend. The aim of the conference is to:

  • identify and clarify the issues of the dispute
  • explore the possibility of settlement before the matter is heard.

Matters heard at the compulsory conference

Usually parties involved in more complicated matters will be asked to attend a compulsory conference.

Matters that are usually straight-forward or urgent such as tenancy terminations, unpaid rents and debt recovery claims, hardship applications and urgent repair applications in tenancy cases won't be called to a compulsory conference.

What to expect at your conference

Each compulsory conference is allocated two hours to work out each party's differences. Although sometimes these can be continued at a later date if the matter can't be resolved in that time frame.

The conference is overseen by members of NTCAT. These members will have no further involvement in your matter if you choose to still have it heard by the tribunal.

There are two stages to the conference.

Stage 1

The NTCAT member will:

  • make directions about future steps to be taken if the matter is not resolved
  • fix a hearing date
  • set a timetable for both parties to provide any evidence or submissions relating to their case.

Stage 2

The NTCAT member will:

  • take the parties through a negotiation process to try and fix their disagreements
  • help both parties work through which issues have legal importance
  • try to find a way to resolve the matter before it reaches the tribunal.

Each party will be given a chance to make a short statement about their views regarding the dispute.

If you are party to a dispute you will be given a chance to discuss the main issues and consider possible solutions.

If you are not properly prepared, or do not participate in good faith with the conference, you could have to pay the other party's costs for the meeting.

Property managers, for example, can attend compulsory conferences on behalf of their landlord but should ensure they have full authority to make decisions on behalf of their client.

What to bring to your conference

If you have to attend a compulsory conference you must bring all documents you consider important to your case. For - eg: If it is a tenancy matter you should bring documents such as the tenancy agreement, condition report, quotes and invoices.

After your conference

If you and the other party have reached a settlement the proceeding will go no further. Depending on what is agreed, NTCAT can make consent orders giving effect to the settlement.

If there is no settlement the directions made at the first stage of the compulsory conference will take effect and the matter will appear before the tribunal.


NTCAT case search services

NTCAT only provides information about NTCAT cases.

To access case information you must fill in the litigation search order form. You can find this on the forms section of the NTCAT website.

When you have filled in the form send it by email to AGD.ntcat@nt.gov.au.

You can also go to the Australian Legal Information Institute (AUSTLii) website to look up selected decisions.


NTCAT rules and practice directions

NTCAT rules are simple and flexible. This helps NTCAT to deal with matters fairly and efficiently. 

Read the NTCAT rules PDF (330.3 KB)

NTCAT practice directions

Practice directions are procedural guidelines issued by the tribunal. They give practical advice on how to interpret NTCAT rules.

Read recent NTCAT practice directions PDF (61.0 KB).


NTCAT fees and contacts

This page has information about NTCAT fees and contacts.

NTCAT fees

If you go to NTCAT you may have to pay a fee.

Some fees are fixed and others increase every year.

For a list of fees, go to the NTCAT website.

Contact NTCAT

For general information you can contact NTCAT by either:

You can also contact your local office directly.

NTCAT Casuarina

NTCAT's Casuarina office is open 8.45am to 4pm weekdays.

The Met Building
Level 1, 13-17 Scaturchio Street
Casuarina NT 0811

NTCAT Alice Springs

NTCAT's Alice Springs office is open 8.45am to 4pm weekdays.

Westpoint Building
1 Stott Terrace
Alice Springs NT 0870