Housing News Digest
The Tenants' Union Housing News Digest compiles our pick of items from all the latest tenancy and housing media, sent once per week, on Thursdays.
Below is the Digest archive from November 2020 onwards. From time to time you will find additional items in the archive that did not make it into the weekly Digest email. Earlier archives are here, where you can also find additional digests by other organisations.
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Archive
https://www.tenants.org.au/thenoticeboard/news/operators-must-abide-new-eviction-laws
Tenants' Union of NSW (No paywall)A tenant recently shared their experience of renting a caravan in a land lease community in the Clarence Valley, NSW. The community caters for home owners, tenants and people seeking short term holiday let. Marli (name changed for privacy) commenced her tenancy in July of 2024 with her partner and one child however they weren’t issued with a written tenancy agreement. Their tenancy continued until early June 2026 when they decided to leave the community. Initially, their rental experience was going well with the manager at the community and Marli even took on some employment as a cleaner.
https://www.tenants.org.au/thenoticeboard/news/operators-must-ab…
# NSW, Eviction, Land lease communities.Popular payment system DEFT to ban all debit and credit card rent payments
Taylor Troeth realestate.com.au (No paywall)A leading national payment system, that handles 1.2 million rental payments per month, is making sweeping changes to the way Australians can pay their rent and strata payments. DEFT, an online secure payment system that is a subsidiary of Macquarie Bank serves over 1,200 real estate agencies for rent alone, alongside widespread use across strata management firms including Jamesons Strata Management, PICA Group, Ace Body Corporate and Netstrata. Macquarie Bank have announced that DEFT will no longer accept payments via debit card and credit card payments, meaning huge changes for many homeowners and renters.
https://www.realestate.com.au/news/popular-payment-system-deft-t…
# TUNSW in the media NSW, .NSW government unveils two major housing proposals for Western Sydney and the eastern suburbs
ABC (No paywall)Hundreds of new homes have been flagged for Western Sydney and thousands more for Sydney's east, under separate proposals put forward by the NSW government. On Tuesday, a housing plan was unveiled as part of the $880 million Parramatta Metro Station and precinct development. It would see the construction of four buildings between 24 storeys and 43 storeys high, introducing 470 residential dwellings and 500 units for student accommodation in the heart of Parramatta.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09-08/sydney-parramatta-metro-p…
# NSW, .Sydney property developer Hyecorp admits renting 'affordable' apartment to staffer in planning breach
Pat McGrath and Kate Ashton ABC (No paywall)A major property developer has admitted to breaching planning conditions by renting affordable housing to one of its own staff. Sydney developer Hyecorp says it breached its agreement with the Willoughby Council when it rented a unit set aside for affordable housing at a development in the area to the staff member in early 2024. While Hyecorp maintains the tenant qualified for affordable housing and the unit was leased at affordable housing rates, it acknowledges the unit was not managed via a registered community housing provider as required by its planning conditions.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09-04/developer-hyecorp-staff-a…
# NSW, Rent.Newcastle families face rental stability challenge
Olivia Arigho Newcastle Weekly (No paywall)Newcastle families are increasingly looking for long-term rental security, but finding a property that ticks every box can mean making compromises. The issue comes as new research from the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI) finds children living in private rentals move an average of six times by the age of 14. That compares with just over two moves for children living in owner-occupied homes.
https://newcastleweekly.com.au/newcastle-families-face-rental-st…
# NSW, .NCAT’s procedural direction about Generative AI
Tenants' Union of NSW (No paywall)In April 2025 the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) developed its own Procedural Direction regarding the use of Generative AI. The NCAT direction draws from Supreme Court Practice Note Gen 23 and is applicable to all Tribunal proceedings from its commencement date. The Tribunal does not ban the use of AI in full but does put restrictions on how it can be used, particularly where it is producing what may be evidence in a case.
https://www.tenants.org.au/thenoticeboard/news/ncats-procedural-…
# NSW, Tribunal NCAT.Coast one of most expensive rental markets in the country
Coast Community News (No paywall)The Central Coast has been named as the seventh most expensive location in the country to rent a home in a new report by Everybody’s Home.
The report says someone earning $40,000 a year would have to spend 95% of their income on rent on the Coast.
For a middle income earner on $70,000, it would be 60% and even six-figure earners on $100,000 and $130,000 are spending well above 30% of their income on rent.
Everybody’s Home’s 2026 Priced Out report analysed rental affordability for Australians earning between $40,000 and $130,000 per year across capital cities and regional areas.
https://coastcommunitynews.com.au/central-coast/news/2026/08/coa…
# Hot topic NSW, Rent.Revealed: Suburbs where renters could save money on power bills
Elodie Jakes Daily Telegraph (Paywall)The NSW hotspots where renters could save hundreds of dollars under proposed new energy rules have been revealed, but critics argue landlords will be forced out of an already-tightening market. Exclusive data from peak body Energy Consumers Australia reveals the state’s 950,000 renting households could save between $300 and $570 annually on their power bills if the NSW government introduces minimum energy efficiency rental standards (MEERS) - bringing the state in line with Victoria and the ACT.
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=D…
# NSW, Rent, Utilities water energy internet.