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Latest news and analysis

The non-compliant mediation form

23/09/2022
Outasite logo
An NCAT matter began as a collective application disputing a site fee increase at Milton Valley Holiday Park. At formal hearing the Member decided the Tribunal did not have jurisdiction on a collective application challenging a site fee as excessive because the mediation application was not accompanied by a schedule of at least 25% of home owners. The Fair Trading compulsory mediation application form doesn’t have a place for this schedule and does not provide any information that this is a requirement.
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Residents battle for clean water

23/09/2022
specimen jars showing dirty water
Residents of a land lease community in western metropolitan Sydney have been forced to do battle over the quality of their drinking water. They have been concerned for a considerable period of time about the quality of the water supplied by their community operator. 
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Emergency services vehicle access

23/09/2022
the entrance to sweetwater grove
This article highlights the importance of operator compliance with all requirements under the Residential Land Lease Communities Act 2013 (RLLC Act). Operators are required under the RLLC Act to ensure that there is 24 hour unimpeded emergency vehicle access to the community. An operator is required to consult with residents and all relevant emergency and home care services regarding access arrangements in the community.
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Wills and Probate

23/09/2022
A home at surfrider caravan park
In a recent decision of the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) Appeal Panel the question of whether a home can be sold (onsite in a community) without a grant of probate has been answered.
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Quick updates

23/09/2022
Quick Updates
Quick updates on the KNV Appeal – the 'fixed' method of site fee increases, and on the 5 year Review of the Residential Land Lease Communities Act.
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Working with resident advocates

23/09/2022
Kim
Resident advocates are volunteers who usually live, or have lived, in land lease communities. They may be members of a resident organisation, or a residents committee, or just someone with a commitment to social justice. The thing they all have in common is that they dedicate their time to supporting residents, helping them assert their rights, negotiating with operators and, if necessary, taking disputes to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT).
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Rebecca Bryant, Advocate from VERTO South-West NSW TAAS

23/09/2022
Rebecca
Rebecca Bryant works as a Tenant Advocate at VERTO, South West NSW Tenants Advice and Advocacy Service (TAAS). We asked Rebecca some questions about her experience of advising and advocating for land lease community residents. 
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Reflecting on 21 years of advocacy for renters and land lease community residents

23/09/2022
Julie
After more than two decades’ work as a dedicated advocate for tenants and then land lease community residents, Julie Lee is moving on to new pursuits. We took the opportunity to ask for her reflections on her work and particularly the issues faced by land lease community residents in New South Wales.
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Examining claims about the social objectives of estate renewal

13/09/2022
Action for Public Housing protest against redevelopment of Glebe estates
As the NSW Government moves to implementing its decision to redevelop the Waterloo Estate, the social objectives claimed for the redevelopment and what is needed to deliver them becomes a focus. In this blog guest author Dr Alistair Sisson, an academic in the field examines the NSW government's claims about the social objectives of estate renewal. Thanks to redwatch for permission to re-publish.
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Citizens' Assemblies and renting policy: an avenue for fair rental reform?

12/09/2022
Crowd of people - image from rawpixel.com on Freepik
Citizens Assemblies are being increasingly explored in other jurisdictions as an avenue to achieve fair and sensible legislative reform across a wide range of issues - including renting.

But what are they, and how could they be applied to improve renting here in NSW?
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