A word from our CEO
These past months have been intensely challenging for our state’s renters. They’ve lost jobs or income due to reduced hours; they are overrepresented in pressured sectors such as hospitality and retail.
As the COVID-19 scenario unfolded, our organisation’s information and advice services have been accessed by hundreds of thousands of people. Renters have told us how anxious they were that their home, which represents security in the best and now the worst of times, was at risk.
The silver lining is that the amended tenancy law here in Victoria – part of the omnibus legislation responding to COVID-19 – is on the side of renters, at least until the end of September. Our advice to people experiencing hardship is to go for a rent reduction ASAP – there is a process activated through Consumer Affairs Victoria.
I’d also like to appeal to landlords and agents, from whom we’ve seen some mixed messaging: beyond the black letter of the law, it pays to exercise compassion for the tough predicament many tenants still face.
- Jennifer Beveridge
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