Introduction
This section has information for caravan park operators in the Northern Territory (NT), including:
Operator responsibilities
As a caravan park operator, you are responsible for keeping your caravan park safe, habitable and in a good state of repair.
Access to caravan park facilities
You need to provide 24-hour vehicle access to your caravan site for residents.
You also need to provide 24-hour access to common areas including bathrooms, toilets and laundries.
Caravan park rules
You need to clearly display the caravan park rules. Take reasonable steps to ensure these rules are followed by all residents.
Locks and security
You must ensure that the caravan park has sufficient locks and security devices. You should also take reasonable steps to:
- provide locks
- maintain locks
- provide and maintain other security devices to keep premises and ancillary property secure.
If you alter, replace or add a lock to a property, you must give the resident a key.
Repairs, maintenance and damage
You are responsible for maintaining the premises and ancillary property in a reasonable state of repair.
You must repair, maintain and renovate common areas as required. This includes bathrooms, toilets and laundries.
Repairs and maintenance
A caravan park operator is responsible for keeping their caravan park in a reasonable state of repair. This includes rented caravans or caravan sites.
General repairs
If repairs are required, a resident should notify you in writing. After you receive notice, you have seven business days to make the repairs or arrange for the repairs to be made.
You need to tell the resident that you have made the repairs or arranged for repairs to be made.
A resident can organise their own repairs in some circumstances.
Emergency repairs
If emergency repairs are required, a resident should notify you in writing. After you receive notice, you have five days to make the repairs or arrange for the repairs to be made.
You need to tell the resident that you have made the repairs or arranged for repairs to be made.
If you do not make the repairs, or make arrangements for repairs, a resident can apply to the Northern Territory Civil and Administrative Tribunal to get the repairs made.
The time frame for the repairs to be completed will be stated in the order issued by the tribunal.
This only applies to emergency repairs.
What an emergency repair is
An emergency repair is any of the following:
- blocked or broken toilet on the agreement property
- serious roof leak
- gas leak
- dangerous electrical fault
- flooding or serious flood damage
- serious storm, fire or impact damage
- limited or no gas, electricity or water supply to the premises
- broken essential service or appliance needed for water or cooking
- fault or damage that makes premises unsafe or not secure
- fault or damage that is likely to injure a person, damage property or unduly inconvenience a resident.
Choice of repairer
You can nominate specific repairers for different types of repairs. You need to list the details of nominated repairers either:
- in the occupancy agreement
- or in writing to the resident.
Caravan park occupancy agreement
This page has information about occupancy agreements for caravan park operators in the Northern Territory (NT).
An occupancy agreement covers information like rent increases, how long residents can stay and security deposits. You can either write your own occupancy agreement or use the default caravan park rent agreement.
Written occupancy agreement
There is no single required format for a written occupancy agreement.
However, it cannot exclude any of the rights and responsibilities set out in the Caravan Parks Act 2012.
The written agreement is only legally binding if both you and the resident have signed.
What to include in a written occupancy agreement
You should include all of the following:
- standard terms and conditions set out in the Act
- caravan park address
- caravan site location
- resident name
- other agreement inclusions like furniture, fixtures and gardens
- caravan park riles
- occupancy start and end dates - or just the start date for a periodic occupancy
- rent details including amount payable, how to pay and rent increases
- any other terms and conditions that you and the resident agree to follow
- security deposit details - if applicable
- services the resident must pay for - e.g: gas or electricity.
You should also include details of anything you have agreed to repair or replace before the resident moves in.
Default agreement
The default occupancy agreement contains all rights and responsibilities set out in the Caravan Parks Act 2012.
It applies in any of the following circumstances:
- if the written occupancy agreement is not signed by both parties
- if the written occupancy agreement is not legal
- if you have entered into a verbal agreement with a resident and no written occupancy agreement exists.
You can use the default agreement to create your own personalised occupancy agreement.
Get an occupancy agreement template from the NT Consumer Affairs website.