Renters' Digest

December 13th 2024

1. 2024 was the worst year yet for renters - 2025 may not be better
2. Guardian wrote an insightful piece on the generation of ‘forever renters’
3. Landlords faced little to no consequences for keeping their homes in poor conditions - per Anika’s new report
4. A resident of a Tasmanian caravan park was facing eviction - his case is now being heard in the Supreme Court

December 6 2024

1. Nelson Alexander has allegedly had potentially sensitive tenant information stolen from their offices
2. Sydney tenant hit with $1000 fee due to rental payment surcharges
3. New Sydney plan helps to protect renters from extreme heat
4. ‘Hot bedding’ creating safety risks in Sydney

December 2 2024

1. Allan government announces crackdown on excessive rental increases
2. Brisbane real estate agent sends inappropriate email enquiring about relationship status
3. 1 in 5 Aussie renters are living without essentials
4. Perth is now the most expensive capital city to rent in

November 22 2024

1. Victoria introduces smoke alarm reform mandating yearly checks on properties
2. Melbourne’s rental vacancy rate increases to 1.64% as rents increase by $40 per week
3. 3 million Aussies are projected to be at risk of homelessness
4. Australians need more of their income than ever to pay their rent and mortgages

November 15th 2024:

1. Real estate agency LJ Hooker generated a real estate listing with non-existent schools
2. NSW Housing Minister suggest 2-bed rental in Sydney costs $200 per week in radio interview
3. Real Estate agent doxxed NSW tenant in breach of privacy laws
4. Landlords sharply hiking rents created more ‘forever renters’

November 8th 2024:

1. No Australian city meets theInternational benchmark of the 15 minute city
2. Elderly boarding house residents face eviction due to developers planning luxury buildings in NSW
3. Victorian government announces 50 higher density housing zones
4. Tenants Victoria offer financial counselling

November 1st 2024:

1. Victorian government propose sweeping rental reforms including ban on no-fault evictions

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-30/renters-rights-victoria-premier-jacinta-allan-housing-reforms/104532870

1. Consumer Affairs hand out almost $450,000 in fines in past 6 months for dodgy rental properties

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/almost-450-000-of-fines-handed-out-for-dodgy-rentals-since-march-20241026-p5klhy.htm

1. NSW Parliament passed a Bill ending ‘no grounds’ eviction and other rental reforms in NSW

https://www.tenants.org.au/resource/law-change

1. Inner Melbourne Community Legal will return to court in December to pursue their class action trial against Homes Victoria

https://imcl.org.au/class-action/

October 18th 2024:

An agent from Ray White Oakleigh will face federal court over 11 cases of alleged underquoting.

https://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/latest-news/ray-white-oakleigh-faces-court-action-for-alleged-misleading-practices

1. ABC has combed through the register of interest and found that of 227 sitting MPs, only 12 are not home owners.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-16/how-many-properties-do-australian-federal-politicians-own/104476596

1. A new report shows that homelessness is higher in areas where there is a lack of affordable private rental housing.

https://www.theage.com.au/property/news/the-surprising-number-of-people-who-are-homeless-in-your-suburb-20241010-p5khcb.html

1. The Guardian wants to hear from renters and landlords about their experience navigating the housing crisis.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/oct/16/australia-housing-affordability-crisis-rent-reader-callout

1. A real estate agent has allegedly fled the country after being accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars.

https://www.9news.com.au/national/real-estate-agent-debra-lawry-accused-of-stealing-hundreds-of-thousands-from-clients-and-employees/29121a3e-546c-44fe-8dff-70253c14a8b0

October 11th 2024:

1. VCAT has ruled that a landlord could not evict her tenant to move a family member into the house. https://www.smh.com.au/property/news/a-landlord-wanted-april-out-to-move-in-a-family-member-vcat-said-no-20240917-p5kbbn.html
2. Everybody’s Home released a report on affordable rents for individuals with lower incomes https://everybodyshome.com.au/resources/priced-out-an-index-of-affordable-rentals-for-people-on-the-lowest-incomes/
3. An army reshuffle could put stress on NT rental market https://www.news.com.au/finance/real-estate/renting/army-reshuffle-could-tip-rental-market-into-desperation-territory/news-story/56962970b38356332a24e61d7ab0f002
4. South Australian house prices are rising as Victorian investors are avoiding tax increases https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-02/sa-home-prices-up-as-victorian-investors-seek-to-avoid-tax/104417640
5. Tenants Victoria share their reflections a year on from the housing statement https://tenantsvic.org.au/news/housing-statement-2024/

September 27th 2024:

1. NSW renters could no longer be charged fees on ‘rent-tech’ platforms https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/nsw-tenants-would-not-be-charged-fees-for-paying-rent-under-proposed-laws-20240922-p5kcje.html
2. Sydney Real estate agents posts personal information of critics online https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-22/sydney-real-estate-agency-personal-information-critics/104373684?utm_source=abc_news_app&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_campaign=abc_news_app&utm_content=link
3. NSW proposes legislation to require landlords to allow ‘reasonable’ pet requests https://www.9news.com.au/national/rental-rules-for-pets-change-nsw/e6e52ef7-c03d-445a-8e6b-d477f5413a7c
4. New online tool, ‘Rent Check’ allows you to compare your rent to houses in your area https://www.9news.com.au/national/rent-check-new-tool-to-check-if-tenants-are-paying-too-much-nsw/5d4b5bea-f655-48a9-be16-3bacc08dc3f0

September 20th 2024:

1. ‘Rent tech’ platforms have renters paying a fee to pay their rent https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/sep/18/renttech-real-estate-ailo-snug-ignite-renters-ntwnfb
2. RMIT releases a new report on improving renting conditions https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/a-better-deal-the-new-plan-to-improve-conditions-for-renters/xxeg636fb
3. NSW will ban needing renters to pay for their own background checks https://www.9news.com.au/national/nsw-will-make-asking-renters-to-pay-for-background-checks-illegal/2a39824d-12c4-40a9-baf7-e5d3196349bd
4. Outback QLD council builds new homes to boost population amid housing crisis https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-11/cloncurry-council-builds-new-houses-to-grow-population/104332106

September 13th 2024:

1. Nelson Alexander apologised after soliciting a bidding war https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/real-estate-agency-says-it-was-trying-to-help-landlord-in-rent-bidding-war-apology/q4ygavtuf
2. NCAT denied a case for a mould infestation because they cannot make binding decisions if the landlord lives interstate https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-09/nsw-interstate-landlord-rental-loophole-mould-ncat/104318934
3. Victorian government has made changes to short stay levy bill, affecting companies like Airbnb https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08-27/housing-policy-airbnb-regulations-victoria/104273174
4. Major Australian Housing Report states ‘social housing’ will end housing crisis https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/key-takeaways-from-major-australian-housing-report/rkqesxrye
5. Tenants Victoria releases new renter factsheets https://tenantsvic.org.au/news/new-renter-factsheets/

September 6th 2024:

1. Greens announced plans for a national renters protection authority. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/article/2024/sep/02/greens-appeal-to-renters-with-regulator-that-could-fine-real-estate-agencies
2. Victorian Socialists target renter’s votes in the upcoming election https://brunswickvoice.com.au/socialists-target-renters-votes/
3. National Housing Supply and Affordability Council chair Susan Lloyd-Hurwitz calls for more protection for renters. https://www.examiner.com.au/story/8753452/calls-to-come-under-one-roof-to-tackle-housing-crisis/
4. Suburbtrends’ September Rental Pain Index reveals that 68% of Australian suburbs are in extreme rental stress. https://newshub.medianet.com.au/2024/09/suburbtrends-rental-pain-index-september-2024-the-housing-crisis-persists/65245/

August 30th 2024:

1. Jordan van den Lamb (@purplepingers) is running for Parliament with the Victorian Socialists. https://www.instagram.com/p/C_Hr2tWT-IN/?hl=en
   
2. FOI documents reveal that the Victorian Government is leaving thousands of public housing dwellings empty. https://www.smh.com.au/property/news/joal-s-landlord-is-leaving-her-old-home-empty-she-can-t-understand-why-20240822-p5k4dh.html
   
3. Better Renters has released a report on renter’s energy challenges. https://www.betterrenting.org.au/joule_thieves_renter_energy_survey_report
   
4. A North Melbourne car park has won out over an affordable housing project. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/article/2024/aug/28/melbourne-curzon-street-car-park-affordable-housing-project

August 23rd 2024:

1. The People's Commission into Australia's Housing Crisis have released their final report. https://everybodyshome.com.au/peoples-commission/final-report/
   
2. A homeless man has reoffended days after asking a judge to extend his sentence for two years, due to a lack of housing and support services. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08-20/geraldton-wa-homeless-man-asks-for-two-years-jail/104242950
   
3. Residents of Gillarong, a remote Indigenous community in Western Australia, have filed a class action law suit against the Housing Authority and the State of WA due to the government's failure to repair state-owned houses. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08-22/wa-indigenous-public-housing-class-action-launched/104189272
   
4. Lord Mayor Nick Reece has announced plans to redevelop CBD offices into apartments. https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/irresistible-for-developers-the-lord-mayor-s-plan-to-turn-offices-into-apartments-20240820-p5k3qr.html
   
5. Community Legal Centres all around Australia are calling for the federal government to guarantee ongoing funding by December 2024. https://www.savecommunitylegalcentres.com/take-action