Housing News Digest
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
Domain warns potential renters about phishing scam asking for 'deposit'
ABC (No paywall)People asking about rental properties on the Domain website have been warned about scammers potentially getting access to their personal details, including name, phone number and postcode.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-05-20/domain-warns-renters-abou…
# Australia, Rent, Landlords and agents.Lake Hume resident Deborah Gibson faces eviction from home on Crown land in Victoria's high country
Anna Chisholm ABC (No paywall)One woman's struggle to remain living on a property she calls her "little patch of paradise" has put the spotlight on the complexities of Crown land. ... But she's on uncertain turf, as the privately owned home is on public land. The former station master's house is currently owned by her late partner's mother Marie Cadman, who lives elsewhere. "Debbie can live there as long as she likes," Ms Cadman said. But it's not that simple.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-05-22/lake-hume-resident-faces-…
# Australia, Rent, Regional NSW, Squatting.UTS Indigenous residential college will help 'close the gap' for future students, says professor
Mawunyo Gbogbo ABC (No paywall)Australia's first Indigenous residential college will help provide easier access to the most vital ingredient in "closing the gap" — education, says the University of Technology Sydney's (UTS) Professor Michael McDaniel.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-05-24/closing-the-gap-indigenou…
# NSW, Aboriginal renters, Students.‘If there’s community transmission, our population will die’: Vaccinating Sydney’s homeless
Mary Ward The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)[Jayden Poi] the 44-year-old resident at St Vincent de Paul’s Matthew Talbot hostel for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness was among more than 100 people vaccinated at the Ozanam learning centre in Woolloomooloo on Thursday. It was the first day of a weekly four-hour clinic for the local community ... “If there’s community transmission, our population will be the people who will die or will be very sick,” Julie Smith, manager of Matthew Talbot’s healthcare clinic, said.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/if-there-s-community-transmi…
# NSW, Coronavirus COVID-19, Health, Homelessness.Property Unpacked podcast: Can rent-to-buy work?
Hailey Coules Domain (No paywall)Getting into the property market at the moment is feeling near impossible for a lot of Australians, plus it’s causing some buyers to rush their purchase and nab whatever they can, before they know if they even like the neighbourhood. One option that’s emerged is “rent with the option to buy” – certainly different to how the market usually works.
https://www.domain.com.au/news/property-unpacked-podcast-does-re…
# Video Australia, Home ownership, Housing market.Scrap Stamp Duty and implement annual property tax - call
Graham Norwood (No paywall)A think tank wants the government to scrap stamp duty and replace it with an annual property tax based on capital value. (EstateAgentToday)
https://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/breaking-news/2021/5/tax-dema…
# International, Housing market, Tax.A just recovery for renters
(No paywall)From Scotland ... Renters are at increased risk of losing their homes as a result of COVID-related rent arrears and debt, unless they are thrown a lifeline with further targeted support. (Joseph Rowntree Foundation)
https://housingnet.co.uk/pdf/a_just_recovery_for_renters.pdf
# International, Eviction, Rent, Coronavirus COVID-19.Surge in insurance premiums to push up reno costs for apartment owners
Matt O'Sullivan The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)Owners of apartments, terraces and townhouses in NSW will be hit with thousands of dollars in extra costs for repairs and renovations when insurance premiums surge by up to 50 per cent from late July.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/surge-in-insurance-premiums-…
# NSW, Strata, Housing market.