NEWS

The electricity system in NSW – an overview

NEM overview graphic
Electricity is an essential service. It is easy to take it for granted that it will be available to power fridges and lights, heaters and hot water systems every single day, without interruption. But how is it generated? How is it transported? And how is its price determined? The TU asked the Public Interest Advocacy Centre to lay it all out for us.
Read more

Help for tenants experiencing problems with their energy or water provider

EWON logo
The Energy & Water Ombudsman NSW (EWON) assists consumers who are having problems with their energy or water provider. EWON is an independent body – we don’t advocate on behalf of consumers or represent the interests of the energy and water providers.
Read more

A renters’ plan to save energy and money

Leo
Leo Patterson Ross, Tenants' Union Advocacy and Research Officer
As part of a special edition of Tenant News focused on the issues facing renters and energy bills, this article by Tenants' Union Advocacy and Research Officer Leo Patterson Ross looks at what the NSW government is doing to address these issues.
Read more

Make Renting Green by Making Renting Fair

Make Renting Fair
Not being able to access energy efficient homes is just one way in which our unfair renting laws harm tenants. If tenants knew that they would be able to stay in their homes long term, they would be more likely to take steps to improve energy efficiency. This is one reason why the Tenants’ Union, together with 80 other organisations, has launched a new campaign to address unfair evictions.
Read more

St George community housing energy efficiency strategy

Clarissa
Clarissa, St George tenant
Clarissa and other tenants at St George Community Housing are benefiting from new energy efficient, affordable homes. From retrofits to new builds St George Community Housing (SGCH) is working to help tenants save on their energy bills. Paul van Reyk, Special Projects Officer with the Tenants' Union, spoke with Patrick Ryan, Head, Innovation & Impact, SGCH.
Read more

Tenants’ Union welcomes Labor’s flagged shift on renters’ rights

A report card asking which political parties want to end unfair evictions. A cross is placed next to the Liberal Party logo, a question mark next to the Labor party logo and a tick is next to the Greens party logo.
NSW Labor has flagged a new policy agenda that could change the game for renters, says Tenants’ Union NSW.
Read more

NSW Housing and Homelessness peaks welcome Commonwealth funding

TUNSW has joined with other Housing and Homelessness peaks to welcome funding commitments made in the Commonwealth Government’s Budget 2017-18. 
Read more

The Granny Flat Trap

A granny flat
There can be hidden traps when renting granny flats.
Over the past six months the Southern Sydney Tenants' Advice and Advocacy Service at Metro Assist has seen a steady influx of problems with granny flats. There can be hidden traps when renting granny flats. Firstly, if the granny flat is on the same electricity meter as the house, or there are two granny flats that share a meter, then the electricity bill should be in the name of the landlord, not the tenant.
Read more

SUPPORT OUR WORK