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Tenants' Union news

Also check out our blog, Tenant News archive, media appearances, and Housing News Digest.
For factsheets and sample letters, please see Tenancy info.

 

Advice and advocacy for renters in every community

Mon, 10/02/2020 - 16:00
Tenant Advocates at the Network Meeting
Tenant Advocates are hard at work all across NSW – making sure tenants know their rights, so we can keep on building good homes and communities. Here are some of the recent examples of the work of our Network, from stalls in the community, to our Network Conference, to winning compensation for tenants, to resisting unfair evications, and helping tenants who are facing mutiple disadvantage.
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Important info for bushfire affected tenants

Fri, 07/02/2020 - 15:55
Fire icon
We at the Tenants' Union are shocked and saddened by the unprecedented bushfire emergency of the last months. Some of you may have lost your rental accommodation to the fires or may have had your accommodation damaged. Some of you may have family, friends or neighbours who have been affected. We have compiled these resources which may be helpful.
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International students, COVID-19 and housing

Fri, 07/02/2020 - 09:55
people boarding a plane at sunrise
We know that more than half of international students organise their accommodation before coming to Australia. And many of those caught up in the travel ban due to the novel coronavirus COVID-19 are returning to courses that they have already commenced. They are likely to have existing accommodation arrangements. What should students do if they are affected?
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Partnering with Ngalaya First Nations lawyers

Thu, 06/02/2020 - 23:04
Ngalaya
The Tenants' Union is proud to announce a new partnership with Ngalaya – the peak body for First Nations lawyers and law students in NSW. We will be collaborating on a number of projects. The Tenants' Union will offer Ngalaya members tenancy law training at no cost, and facilitate access to the Tenants' Advice and Advocacy Services Network. Ngalaya has already begun assisting the Tenants' Union with recruitment of Aboriginal staff and will facilitate ongoing mentoring and support for the Tenants' Union Paralegal (Aboriginal) position.
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Working to support People With Disability Australia

Thu, 30/01/2020 - 14:26
PWDA TU
The Tenants' Union is pleased to announce a new partnership with People with Disability Australia. We will be supporting PWDA's Disability Housing Advocacy Service, by providing legal support and advice, training, referrals and resources, in relation to tenancy law. The first matters we have advised on include repairs in social housing, and habitability in private rental.
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Renting research revisited - Part 2

Mon, 06/01/2020 - 10:23
A row of houses with "to let" signs out the front
Tenant advocates have lead the research into tenancy in NSW for many years. In this second of a series, Robert Mowbray looks back on two of his contributions and what we can learn from them today.
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Renting research revisited - Part 1

Sat, 04/01/2020 - 11:30
The sky is visible through a roof in disrepair
Tenant advocates have lead the research into tenancy in NSW for many years. Robert Mowbray looks back on two of his contributions and what we can learn from them today.
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Getting your rented home bushfire ready

Thu, 19/12/2019 - 13:37
house
Guest blogger Hayley Stone, co-ordinator of the Eastern Area Tenants' Service and volunteer with the Rural Fire Service in the Blue Mountains, gives us some general guidance on getting your rental property prepared for bushfires.
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A year to review

Tue, 03/12/2019 - 12:20
Gateway Lifestyle Stanhope Gardens residents
Yes, it has been four years since the Residential (Land Lease) Communities Act 2013 (RLLC Act) commenced and that means the statutory review is due next year. The Tenants’ Union has already started working with Tenants Advice and Advocacy Services, Resident Groups and Resident Committees to identify areas of the law we think could be improved. Looking back over the past year electricity overcharging by operators has once again dominated the land lease community landscape. NCAT has determined a number of disputes and other groups of home owners have reached agreements regarding charges and refunds with their operators.
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Rental Bond Exit Survey launched

Tue, 03/12/2019 - 10:11
Computer on desk
In NSW we know a lot about how tenancies begin – there are lots of statistics and articles on rents at the beginning. But there's very little on how tenancies end. No government body in Australia is tracking how or why tenancies end – but in NSW we're taking the first step to get this information. From this week when you finalise your bond, look out for an email asking you to participate in a survey about the bond. We encourage all tenants to fill out this survey – it is a great opportunity to get new evidence about the way our renting system works at the end of tenancies.
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