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
How to maintain your solar panel system
Grace Smith (No paywall)A good quality solar system that's been properly installed should run smoothly for years. But regular maintenance can help make sure your system is functioning safely and efficiently. ... [But] renters with solar – who's responsible?
https://www.choice.com.au/home-improvement/energy-saving/solar/a…
# TUNSW in the media Australia, Utilities water energy internet.What to do if your relationship ends but your lease doesn't
William Jolly (No paywall)Here’s what happens if you break up with someone you signed a lease with, and what you need to do. (savings.com.au)
https://www.savings.com.au/home-loans/buying-first-home/what-to-…
# TUNSW in the media Australia, Domestic violence, Rent, You want to leave, Break fees.Victoria to draw on $27b social housing stock to solve housing crisis
Tom Burton (Paywall)The man hand-picked to drive the construction of 12,000 new Victorian homes says the state will take advantage of the $27 billion in social housing it already has to drive investment into new affordable build-to-rent stock. A push to engage with super funds and property developers will form part of a broader program by the newly formed Homes Victoria to use the $5.3 billion big housing build project that was announced in November to reset housing policy. (Financial Review)
https://www.afr.com/property/residential/victoria-to-draw-on-27b…
# Australia, Public and community housing, Rent, Affordable housing, Housing market.Khan confirms plans to prioritise key workers for intermediate affordable housing
Nathaniel Barker Inside Housing (Paywall)London mayor Sadiq Khan has confirmed plans to prioritise key workers, such as nurses and firefighters, for new build intermediate-level affordable homes. The Greater London Authority (GLA) will develop a list of essential workers with help from trade unions, emergency services and councils. Planning guidance will then be updated to place an expectation on local authorities to give people in listed occupations priority access to rent or buy new homes for affordable tenures considered ‘intermediate’ by the GLA.
https://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/news/khan-confirms-plans-to…
# International, Rent, Affordable housing, Housing market, Local Government.Australians face a hotter future if our cities don't do more to cool 'heat islands', report finds
Stephanie Zillman ABC (No paywall)Most major Australian cities will be far hotter than forecast in coming years, as a lack of vegetation creates "heat islands," especially in poorer areas, a new report warns.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-03-11/australians-face-unliveab…
# Research alert Australia, Planning and development.'Craziest idea I've heard': Malcolm Turnbull attacks using superannuation to buy property
Ben Butler The Guardian (No paywall)The former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has said allowing people to withdraw from their retirement savings to help buy a house is “the craziest idea I’ve heard” and lashed politicians for being patronising by denying ordinary Australians an increase in the superannuation rate. ... But Turnbull said Australia had a housing affordability problem and allowing money to flow out of super accounts and into the property market would make it worse. “Diverting even more savings into housing is simply just going to bid up the price of housing,” he said. “I mean, that is, honestly, that’s the worst possible argument.”
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/mar/12/craziest-…
# Hot topic Australia, Home ownership.Dubbo Council orders Poplars Caravan Park to clean up
Ryan Young Daily Telegraph (Paywall)The owner of a Dubbo CBD caravan park says swift action has been taken after
complaints about the state of the business prompted the local council to issue a
rare clean up direction. ... [Council’s development and environment director] Stephen Wallace said: “Following inspections of the caravan park council staff noted a number of issues which posed a potential risk to public health, such as rubbish strewn throughout the site, a lack of sanitation, broken items in need of repair since the previous inspection, unsealed roads filling drains with sediment and inadequate record keeping.”
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=D…
# NSW, Land lease communities, Local Government.End of national rental scheme to compound Tasmania's housing crisis as unaffordability sweeps the state
Alexandra Humphries ABC (No paywall)Andrew Kemmell has spent the past few weeks packing his life into boxes. ... For almost two years Mr Kemmell has paid $263 a week in rent, with the rest subsidised through the National Rental Affordability Scheme (NRAS). But the program is expiring, and his landlord wants to ensure they continue receiving market rent for the property. ... The end of NRAS means hundreds of Tasmanian tenants whose rents have been subsidised will no longer have access to cheaper rentals, further compounding the state's housing woes.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-03-14/three-years-on-from-housi…
# Australia, Affordable housing, Homelessness.