Rooming home proprietors renting out five or more rooms in the one house have until the end of the month to register, under major reforms to South Australia’s residential tenancy laws.

The registration scheme is designed to offer a greater level of protection to rooming house residents by requiring owners to meet minimum standards in order to run large rooming houses.

These include meeting a fit and proper person test and completing a training course on their obligations.

In addition, residents must have reasonable access to their room and bathroom facilities. Shared facilities must be in a reasonable state of repair and cleanliness.

Tenants must also be given at least two weeks’ notice of any renovations.

The move comes as part of the state government’s rental reforms including guidelines for tenants to own pets, introducing prescribed reasons to end a tenancy such as wanting to move into or sell a property and extending the notice period from 28 days to 60 days to not renew a lease.

Rooming house owners can find out more about how to register at www.sa.gov.au/realestate.