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Crown Land not an excuse to evade rights of home owners

Tue, 20/06/2023 - 11:49
Caravan home with awning
In NSW more than half of the land in the state is Crown Land. It is owned by the NSW State Government. In NSW there are many residential land lease communities which are located on Crown Land. These communities are usually managed by the operator of the land lease community as Crown Land manager under a lease, license or permit. Crown Land managers are mostly local councils or non council trustees.
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Buyer Beware: home ownership in land lease communities

Tue, 20/06/2023 - 09:02
homes in a land lease community
When someone is buying into a residential land lease community (RLLC) the home purchased is either from the current home owner (vendor/ seller) or from the operator of the community selling a home. Over the past few months the Tenants’ Union has received a number of queries from residents and from advocates (acting on behalf of prospective residents or for current home owners).
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Holding operators to account when on fixed method site fee increases

Tue, 20/06/2023 - 07:38
Outasite logo
In our last edition of Outasite we discussed the trend toward fixed method site fee increases. One of the downsides to this method that we highlighted is there is less incentive for operators to spend money maintaining the community. The fixed method site fee increase cannot be challenged at the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) in the same way as the by notice site fee increase. There is no way to dispute the amount of a fixed method increase even if the operator has clearly not been spending money maintaining the community.
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Heart Award recognises the work of Sandy Gilbert

Tue, 20/06/2023 - 06:46
Sandy
Our last edition of Outasite featured an article co-authored by Sandy Gilbert about the impact of the floods on land lease community residents in Tweed Heads and Chinderah. Sandy had set up a community Hub in the area with the help of volunteers, local Council and community organisations to provide support to residents impacted by the floods.
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Tenants' Union supports event Homes for People, Not Profits: End the Housing Crisis

Fri, 16/06/2023 - 13:07
A woman holds a sign saying no evictions no demolitions with other protestors outside Sydney Town Hall
The Tenants' Union of NSW expresses its support for the Homes for People, Not Profits: End the Housing Crisis event on 17th June organised by Action for Public Housing and the Anti-Poverty Centre.
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Renting and Housing Advocates: ‘NSW Government is Listening'

Wed, 07/06/2023 - 08:17
Tenants' Union logo
Renting and housing advocates say the NSW Government is listening and committed to improving the rental system as the government announces the Rental Commissioner will explore further how best to address rent bidding.
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Concerns planned reforms to 'end secret rent bidding' will introduce rent auctions

Mon, 05/06/2023 - 12:12
TUNSW along with sector colleagues attended the Inquiry hearings on the Rental Fairness Bill 2023, photo of 3 white men, 2 white women in Domain (next to NSW Parliament)
On Friday the Tenants Union of NSW attended hearings for the NSW Parliamentary Inquiry on the Rental Fairness Bill 2023. Along with sector colleagues we raised concerns that planned reforms to 'end secret rent bidding' could unintentially introduce and possibly entrench 'rent auctions'.
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Renting & transphobia: NSW renting laws that need to change to support transgender renters

Sun, 28/05/2023 - 22:33
A placard with the transgender flag on it reads "TRANS RIGHTS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS". Rainbow pride flags wave in the background.
Discrimination pervades many areas of trans people’s lives, including in relation to housing. All people need and deserve a safe, secure, affordable place to call home, but all too often trans people have significant barriers placed in their way which prevent that from being a reality.
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Cost of living in NSW survey 2023

Thu, 04/05/2023 - 13:26
NCOSS logo
The NSW Council of Social Services (NCOSS) has launched their Cost of Living in NSW 2023 survey. The Cost of Living in NSW project seeks to get a better understanding of the impact of cost-of-living changes on low-income households – including those living below the poverty line. 

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Tenants' Union joins May Day rally – workers rights and housing justice go hand in hand

Wed, 03/05/2023 - 10:38
Tenants' Union members stand behind a banner with the Tenants' Union logo. People are smiling and wearing Make Renting Fair shirts with the purple and blue logo on them. There are trees and lots of people in the background.
May Day (International Workers’ Day) is an important tradition established in the 1800s. In many countries it is a public holiday and allows workers to rally around issues they are facing. 
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