The Tenants' Union of NSW is regularly updating our Renters' Guide to COVID-19. The Guide covers common questions about renting in NSW during the Coronavirus COVID-19 crisis.

Although there is a moratorium on evictions in NSW, it won't stop all evictions for all renters. Now more than ever, it's important to share your story. If you are facing eviction and you are willing to speak publicly, please get in touch.

Yesterday (15 April) the measures announced by the NSW Government on Monday to support renters kicked into gear. This means NSW now has implemented a 6 month moratorium on evictions, but it’s complicated. It doesn't cover all evictions, or all renters. This blog post tries to answer some of your immediate questions. Who exactly does the moratorium cover? How will it work in practice? And what about the rent?

From Wednesday 15th April the NSW Evictions Moratorium came into effect. So there is a stop on evictions, at least for 60 days – but not on all evictions and not for all people. For more detail, read our series of resources covering the eviction moratorium, rent and other issues during the COVID-19 crisis.

"Isn’t there supposed to be a ban on evictions at the moment?"

Two weeks ago Prime Minister Scott Morrison, following a meeting of national cabinet, announced states and territories had agreed to put a moratorium on evictions for the next six months for people in financial distress, unable to meet their rental commitments. Local Tenants Advice and Advocacy Services have been flooded with calls the last few weeks from people seeking advice in the context of the COVID19 health crisis.

About half of international students in Australia are private renters and more than half of them rely on paid work to pay the rent, but most of the casual jobs they depend on have been lost in the coronavirus pandemic. The results of a recent survey (conducted pre-COVID-19) of international students living in private rental accommodation suggest up to half of them may now be unable to pay their rent. Many also live in quite crowded conditions, so will struggle to self-isolate even if they don’t lose their current housing.

An eviction moratorium has been announced, but not yet implemented. Renters need this urgently, along with a system where we aren’t saddled with massive debts. This crisis is a whole-of-community problem. Governments need to step in to facilitate rent relief.

There’s a lot of phrases being used at the moment to describe some kind of change to the way we’ve gotten used to renting happening in Australia. People are discussing all sorts of ways for government to step in. Some of these phrases though, might not mean what people think they do.

We are community coalition made up of 70 people and organisations who work with renters and research housing problems. The COVID19 epidemic is a public health crisis that will be made worse by evictions. We call on the Commonwealth, State and Territory governments to ensure no evictions happen during this crisis.