The changes have been welcomed by The Tenants' Union ACT and the ACT Council of Social Service while Attorney General Gordon Ramsay said the measures would protect the most vulnerable tenants.

The bill would increase the notice period from four to eight weeks for landlords to terminate a periodic lease when the landlord or family member wants to move into the home.

It would also strengthen the way in which the ACT Administrative Tribunal can alter tenancy agreements in family violence situations and include cooling in the list of urgent repairs.

It would reduce the maximum rent payable in advance to two weeks and provide a right for a tenant to terminate their agreement if they are accepted for social housing or a residential aged care facility.

"The bill also supports landlords to protect the value of their properties. It streamlines the provision that allows a landlord to terminate a tenancy if the renter uses the property for an illegal activity," Mr Ramsay said.

"This bill contains a balanced and considered suite of amendments that I am confident will make our rental laws better for our community." Executive officer of the tenants union Deb Pippen said the laws could prevent people from sliding into homelessness.

"Advocates for renters have been saying for some time that the ACT needs to improve its protections to tenants under the Residential Tenancies ACT as well as at an operational level with Housing ACT and related programs," she said.

She cited the Productivity Commission's recent report that found 45 per cent of ACT residents who asked for help from a homeless service did so because of an eviction.

That was compared to a rate of 39 per cent nationally.

"Measures to reduce advance rent requirements and include cooling in the list of urgent repairs will support low-income renters and some of those feeling the effects of Canberra's climate extremes, including older people, people with chronic health conditions and people with disabilities," she said. ACT Council of Social Service CEO Susan Helyar said while more was needed to be done around evictions, it was a good start.

"It is good to see government act on some outstanding recommendations of the Review of the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 as well as progress an important element of last year's ACT Housing Strategy," she said.

"While we had called for a longer period of three months to allow people to find alternative accommodation in Canberra's tight rental market, the doubling of the notice period in periodic leases is a good start. We welcome a much-needed focus on tenancy law reform to provide a fairer deal for tenants."