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
Renters enraged by detail in real estate’s ‘late rent policy’ document
Ally Foster news.com.au (No paywall)A document from a real estate agency appearing to suggest tenants get a bank loan or use credit cards in order to pay their rent on time has enraged Aussie renters. The document from Ray White Bankstown in Sydney was recently shared to a tenant support Facebook group by a person claiming to rent their home through the agency. The letter, which the renter said they received as part of their tenancy agreement documents, outlines the company’s “zero tolerance policy” for late rent payments and advises renters what will happen if they fall behind.
https://www.news.com.au/finance/real-estate/renting/renters-enra…
# Hot topic, TUNSW in the media NSW, .Paris Apartments for Rent: A Practical Guide to Finding a Flat
Eliza Lourenço World Radio Paris (No paywall)Paris has a bad reputation when it comes to finding a place to live. Advice can also vary widely. It’s important to stay informed and get the facts straight. I’d heard that finding a rental was difficult, so when I moved to Paris from Sydney, Australia, I made it a top priority to find accommodation before I had even stepped foot in the country. There’s really no such thing as being too prepared when it comes to moving overseas. This is easier said than done. The problem with renting in Paris isn’t necessarily having a lack of money to pay the rent itself; rather, it can be hard as a foreigner to meet requirements. I know first-hand how important it can be to know your rights as a tenant in Paris.
https://worldradioparis.org/paris-apartments-for-rent-a-practica…
# International, Rent.NSW Government’s new Rental Taskforce to crack down on bad landlords, real estate agents
Elizabeth Pike Daily Telegraph (Soft Paywall)Renters still face being evicted for no reason, strict limits on pets, and huge upfront bond payments, with the Minns government yet to bring “long overdue” changes into effect. While rental reforms which passed parliament last year are still not in place, the Minns government has now established an $8.4 million taskforce to crack down on dodgy real estate agents and landlords. Fair Trading Minister Anoulack Chanthivong said inspection, audit and compliance blitzes will be carried out across the state in the coming months to hold rogue industry actors accountable.
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/nsw-governments-new-r…
# TUNSW in the media NSW, .Minns pumps repossession and renovation fix for NSW public housing
Julian Bajkowski The Mandarin (No paywall)The Minns government is reviving stalled public housing redevelopment projects that have been hindered by high interest rates and labour shortages, showcasing its refurbishment of the “Three Sisters” mid-century housing block in Sydney suburb Telopea as an example of what can be done. Located next to the Parramatta Light Rail, which replaced the Carlingford Line with frequent trams, the Wade Street Towers site will return 148 public housing units to the system after a failed redevelopment deal. The mid-rise buildings stand out for their higher architectural and construction standards compared to most public housing complexes.
https://www.themandarin.com.au/286026-minns-pumps-repossession-a…
# Hot topic NSW, .Council development forces caravan park regulars out of coastal escape
9 News (No paywall)Phil has been holidaying at the NRMA Shellharbour Beachside Holiday Park south of Sydney for 23 years. Recently he spent upwards of $50,000 renovating his caravan to better enjoy the picturesque coastal escape. But he and several other caravan park regulars are soon to be booted from the site, after Shellharbour City Council announced they are going to convert annual sites into casual rentals.
https://9now.nine.com.au/a-current-affair/shellharbour-beachside…
# Video NSW, Land lease communities, Rent.Under Pressure Everybody’s Home Sector Survey
Everybody's Home (No paywall)Australia is in the midst of an escalating housing crisis that is pushing more people into financial hardship, housing insecurity, and homelessness. Between rents that are at historic highs, cost of living pressures, and a massive shortfall in social housing, frontline services are being stretched to breaking point. Community organisations, homelessness services, and social welfare providers are experiencing unprecedented demand as more Australians struggle to find and maintain stable housing.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1oOlULCBgyKrtBTatxd25yo66UBGqUQb…
# Hot topic, Research alert Australia, Public and community housing.From empty homes to dead possums, tenants reveal laundry list of problems in Victoria’s community housing
Cait Kelly The Guardian (No paywall)One of Victoria’s largest community housing providers has been accused of leaving apartments empty for more than a year and failing to address maintenance issues raised by tenants, including broken windows, missing floorboards and dead possums left to rot. The claims come as housing advocates warn of widespread problems with community housing, including poor standards and a lack of transparency. In August 2023 the social housing provider HousingFirst took over the stewardship of Glenloch Homes, which provides independent living for 163 aged pensioners across six sites in the south of Melbourne.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/feb/09/from-empt…
# Must read Australia, Rent, Repairs.Social housing tenants' class action against ACT government gets green light
Elizabeth Byrne ABC (No paywall)A group of Canberra's social housing tenants are set to get their day in the Federal Court, with the way cleared for a class action against the ACT government over a plan to move them from their homes. Under the ACT government's Growth and Renewal program, nearly 600 social housing homes were slated to be redeveloped, with their tenants moved to new public housing. The scheme, developed in 2019, was eventually abandoned, but a group of residents pursued the case in the Federal Court, suing the government for breach of contract and unconscionable conduct.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-12/class-action-by-social-ho…
# Must read Australia, Public and community housing.