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.
Our main email newsletter, Tenant News is sent once every two months. You can subscribe or update your subscription preferences for any of our email newsletters here.
See notes about the Digest and a list of other contributors here. Many thanks to those contributors for sharing links with us.
We love sharing the news and hope you find it informative! We're very happy to deliver it for free, but if you find it valuable, can you help cover the extra costs incurred by making a donation?
Archive
Woman’s rent increases $12,000 overnight
Staff writers news.com.au (No paywall)A Sydney influencer has revealed how her rent increased by an eye-watering sum overnight, after a “shady” email from apartment giant Meriton was leaked.
Milly Rose Bannister was commenting on an internal email which surfaced online last week in which the country’s biggest apartment developer instructed employees to take advantage of the current market to squeeze renters.
“Hi all, as you are all aware, the market is on fire and vacancy extremely low, so please ensure you’re pushing rents as hard as possible,” read the email, which was shared to Facebook and Reddit.
https://www.news.com.au/finance/real-estate/renting/womans-rent-…
# NSW, Rent, Landlords and agents, Sydney.Byron Bay blue between “Airbnb mafia” and grassroots groups highlights costly housing crisis
Callum Foote Michael West Media (No paywall)Pandemic lockdowns crushed Airbnb, Stayz and other short-term rental operators but the market has bounced back sharply, creating tensions in popular tourist destinations between councils, community groups and well-heeled property owners. Callum Foote reports on the case of ritzy Byron Bay.
A powerful lobby group for short-term rental providers, whose politically connected members oversee hundreds of properties, has nixed local council legislation and led to a community backlash and claims of profiteering at the expense of a housing supply and cost of living crisis.
https://michaelwest.com.au/byron-bay-blue-spotlights-tensions-be…
# TUNSW in the media NSW, Campaigns and law reform, Local Government, Regional NSW, Short-term holiday letting, State Government.Sydney couple earning $240k reveal struggle to find a rental
news.com.au news.com.au (No paywall)Australia’s rental crisis is continuing to worsen, with the situation becoming so competitive that even seemingly perfect applicants are finding it impossible to secure a property.
A young Sydney couple revealed they have been repeatedly knocked back for apartments, despite having great references and a combined income of more $240,000 a year.
https://www.news.com.au/finance/real-estate/renting/sydney-coupl…
# TUNSW in the media NSW, Rent, Housing affordability, Housing market, Landlords and agents.Not enough houses?
Peter Mares Inside Story (No paywall)When it comes to housing, Australia and Britain have much in common. Both countries are committed to the notion of a “property-owning democracy,” both see this vision threatened by escalating house prices, and both have responded to the threat in similar ways. Before he won Britain’s 2019 election, Boris Johnson promised the Conservative Party would build “at least” a million new homes in England (since devolution, other parts of Britain have their own housing powers) over the five-year life of the new parliament. In his first budget, Australian treasurer Jim Chalmers made a similar pledge — a million new homes in five years.
# Australia, Public and community housing, Affordable housing, Housing affordability, Planning and development.Perth woman is asked to pay higher rent, then finds landlord didn't authorise it
Emma Wynne ABC (No paywall)During the pandemic Alex's property manager told her she had to start paying more rent, but her landlord didn't know anything about it, and hadn't authorised a rent increase.
Alex's difficulties with her Perth rental began in May 2020, when she and her housemates' work hours were cut in half during the COVID pandemic, and she decided to ask for a reduction in the $495 per week rent.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-01-22/rent-increases-without-la…
# Must read Australia, Rent, Coronavirus COVID-19, Landlords and agents.Heatwaves are our deadliest disasters. Why aren't doing more about it?
Emma Bacon Canberra Times (Paywall)Heatwaves are our deadliest environmental disaster, and if we want to keep as many people safe as possible, we need to prepare our suburbs.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8056655/suburbs-will-swel…
# Australia, Climate change.Parents of sick kids forced out of rental homes
Chloe Whelan news.com.au (No paywall)Australians with caring responsibilities have emerged as key sufferers of the country’s rental crisis, as thousands of Aussies struggle to make ends meet — and even face homelessness — while caring for sick family members.
Adelaide mum Anna Rowen is one of them.
She works full-time in aged care while caring for her husband on the age pension and has gone without medication, personal hygiene products and food in order to pay their staggering weekly rent.
https://www.news.com.au/finance/real-estate/renting/parents-of-s…
# Australia, Eviction, Rent, Disability, Families.Low-rent behaviour by greedy landlords is feeding the rental crisis
Jenna Price The Sydney Morning Herald (No paywall)My mother’s advice was that I should buy a house. That was 1983. That advice is no longer fine or even possible for most, Bank of Mum and Dad notwithstanding. Many mums and dads are now still paying off their own mortgages.
We were desperate to avoid increasingly rapacious landlords or their proxies, otherwise known as real estate agents. Toilets only flushed by bucket. Floorboards on the verge of perishing. Terrifyingly unpredictable electrical faults. Forty years on, stories from some renters are the same as my own.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/low-rent-behaviour-by-greedy-lan…
# TUNSW in the media Australia, Eviction, Rent, Repairs, Housing affordability, Landlords and agents.