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Welcome to our blog. Tenants' Union staff and occasional guests offer commentary and analysis of our renting system. We hope to inform, educate and debate the legal, political and cultural aspects of this renting life. For an official quote for media use, or questions regarding our research, policy or publications please contact us. For more articles see the Brown Couch archive, the Clearing House, and news. For factsheets see tenancy info.

 

Leo Patterson Ross | 20/02/2020

A new approach to mortgagee repossessions

Over the mid-2000s we saw mortgagee repossessions causing all sorts of issues for tenants. It ultimately lead to some pretty decent reforms. However, it may be time to rethink the response to…
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Leo Patterson Ross | 07/02/2020

International students, COVID-19 and housing

We know that more than half of international students organise their accommodation before coming to Australia. And many of those caught up in the travel ban due to the novel coronavirus COVID-19…
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Robert Mowbray | 06/01/2020

Renting research revisited - Part 2

Tenant advocates have lead the research into tenancy in NSW for many years. In this second of a series, Robert Mowbray looks back on two of his contributions and what we can learn from them…
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Robert Mowbray | 04/01/2020

Renting research revisited - Part 1

Tenant advocates have lead the research into tenancy in NSW for many years. Robert Mowbray looks back on two of his contributions and what we can learn from them today.
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Hayley Stone | 19/12/2019

Getting your rented home bushfire ready

Guest blogger Hayley Stone, co-ordinator of the Eastern Area Tenants' Service and volunteer with the Rural Fire Service in the Blue Mountains, gives us some general guidance on getting your…
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Jemima Mowbray | 29/11/2019

Antisocial antisocial behaviour management

Last Friday we made our submission to the statutory review of two sections of the Residential Tenancies Act 2010 that require mandatory eviction in social housing for a number of antisocial…
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Leo Patterson Ross | 27/11/2019

Balancing tenure security and mobility for productivity

Yesterday we submitted our thoughts in response to the NSW Productivity Commission discussion paper "Kickstarting the productivity conversation". We recommended a shift to land tax,…
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Leo Patterson Ross | 20/11/2019

NSW changes to tenancy law - progress update

There have been a number of developments in tenancy across Australia recently, and NSW is coming close to implementation of the amendments from 2018. Before we look at the update to NSW, here…
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Leo Patterson Ross | 01/11/2019

What you need to know about: Bond Loans

You've found a new place to move to after getting a no grounds notice and you're pretty confident that you'll get your bond back on the current place. But you've been stung…
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The Conversation | 08/10/2019

Looking to rent a home? 6 things that will help or hinder you

Two-thirds of tenants in Australia rent through a real estate agent. A national shortage of private rental housing forces these tenants to impress the real estate agent to secure a property. The…
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Julie Foreman | 29/08/2019

No Bang for your Bond!

This is the initial response from Tenants' Union of NSW, resourcing body for 19 NSW-based Tenancy Advice and Advocacy Services, to the release of funding agreements from 2019-2022 for NSW…
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Leo Patterson Ross | 22/08/2019

No homes on a dead planet

The evidence has been in for some time that our climate is changing. As the Tenants' Union of NSW this concerns us because we know that renters live in housing that is the least suitable…
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