Is it correct that under the proposed Residential Property Managers Bill, the Registrar will have the power to exercise "triage powers (including the discretion not to pursue a complaint)"; and what recourse, if any, will a tenant have if the Registrar declines to act on their complaint?

Answer

The proposed complaints and disciplinary process involves the Residential Property Managers Registrar (the Registrar): • receiving and reviewing complaints about the residential property manager and organisations’ conduct, • being empowered to investigate conduct issues of its own motion, • exercising triage powers (including the discretion not to pursue a complaint), • preparing complaints and investigations for referral to a disciplinary tribunal, and • taking enforcement action for offences under the legislation. The Residential Property Managers Disciplinary Tribunal (the Tribunal) will be able to hear appeals of the Registrar’s decisions. A triage power for the registrar was proposed by officials as this is more efficient than going directly to the Tribunal, with the key features of complaints and disciplinary process aligned with similar occupational licensing regimes, for example the Immigration Advisors Licensing regime.