Out now! A guide for new renters
The Tenants' Union is thrilled to announce the New Renters Kit! This kit seeks to bridge the gap between tenancy law and everyday renting challenges. The kit is intended for young people, international students, migrants, refugees and those who haven’t rented in a while. But experienced renters may find it a good refresher too! The kit helps renters get started, avoid common pitfalls, and resolve issues that commonly come up during a tenancy. Community workers will find the kit useful to help clients navigate the world of renting.
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Developing the kit has been a lengthy process combining audience consultation, community education experience, and legal expertise.
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We commissioned local artist and renter Meg O’Shea to create a series of vibrant illustrations to engage the audience and emphasise key concepts.
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The Kit covers the key stages of renting – starting a tenancy, dealing with problems that may arise, and ending a tenancy. The aim throughout is to explain renting in plain language. There are lots of real-world scenarios, practical suggestions, and links to reliable sources of additional information.
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Launch and training opportunities
We would love you to join us at an online lunchtime launch of the New Renters Kit at 12pm on Thursday 16 November, via Zoom. We'll delve into the challenges faced by new renters, discuss the development of the kit, and explore its key features to show how it can assist community workers and advocates working with people new to renting.
Along with the launch of the kit, we’re excited to announce new training for community workers and community groups. Are you keen to learn more? Do you want to enhance your ability to support renters? Register your interest and let us know what specific areas you'd like to explore.
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NCAT Snapshot & Evictions Map updated
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The Tenants' Union NCAT Snapshot and NCAT Evictions Map are interactive tools that reveal key insights into how landlords and renters have used the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal across all Local Government Areas since 2016. The Tribunal is the main forum for resolving tenancy disputes between landlords and tenants. While this can mean that the Tribunal is a way for renters to assert their rights, landlords are disproportionately the applicants for disputes lodged at the Tribunal. The data with the NCAT Snapshot and NCAT Evictions Map allows us to examine key dimensions of this power imbalance, by breaking down NCAT applications by user type, application type and geography. In our blog we further analyse the data from the tools – Access to justice? What the NCAT snapshot tells us.
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National solutions for housing & homelessness
The national housing crisis continues, with relentless reports of huge rent increases (SMH), students missing school due to homelessness (ABC), and urgent calls from housing advocates for national solutions (ABC).
In this context it's more important than ever to demand consistent action to end no-grounds evictions. In Queensland, it has become clear that the government has botched the response to no-grounds evictions, creating a 'ridiculous', confusing, and unfair situation. Despite the QLD Premier telling the State they were ending no grounds evictions, they allowed a 'loophole' where fixed-term contracts can end with no grounds. This means renters are continuing to face unfair evictions and other rules such as rent increases are undermined. But instead of ensuring evictions are genuine and for reasonable grounds, Queensland government thinks the issue is the rent increase rule: Queensland family given notice to leave rental property after 'loophole' in law that limits rent increases to once a year (ABC). We must not fall into this trap in NSW.
The Tenant's Union was pleased to make a submission on the national Housing and Homelessness Plan. Our submission reaffirms that people need not just basic shelter but a good home to live a safe, healthy and dignified life. Homes are our base from which we are connected to communities, broader society and can engage in social, cultural and economic activities. Government can play a market-shaping rather than a market-responsive role, but must take on a leadership role, putting in place interventions and framework for public good.
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Navigating to home webinar
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Last week the National Association of Renters’ Organisations held a webinar to launch The National Nine – a report on the principles for strengthening renters’ rights in Australia. The webinar began with an overview of the report’s key recommendations; this was followed by a panel conversation exploring the challenges facing renters and our national rental housing system. Speakers included:
- Trina Jones, NSW Rental Commissioner
- Heather Holst, Victorian Rental Commissioner
- Melisa Coveney, Darwin Community Legal Services
- Daniel Pritchard, Circle Green Community Legal, Western Australia
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How housing impacts health & well-being
In a new piece on the Tenants' Union blog, Rathy Srikanthan writes...
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In the past fifteen years, a number of studies have shed light on the significant relationship between housing and well-being. Recent research underscores the two-way nature of this relationship, by demonstrating that it is not just our housing situation (whether precarious or non-precarious) that influences our well-being – conversely, our well-being can also impact our housing status and feed into if, when, and for how long people stay precariously housed.
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Closer examination of this relationship may help policymakers design interventions that are effective in improving well-being and housing outcomes.
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Trans day of resistance
Trans people are more likely to experience discrimination in the rental market, homelessness, negative mental health impacts, and outright violence. For more on these issues, see Riley Brooke’s article published earlier this year on our blog – Renting & transphobia: NSW renting laws that need to change to support transgender renters. In this context, grassroots groups are organising a Trans Day of Resistance across multiple cities on 25 November. All queer and trans people, their friends, families, allies, and accomplices are encouraged to join in a rebuke of discrimination and vilification, and take a stand for trans rights, liberation, and life.
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Undercover: Women & homelessness in Australia
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This Friday UNSW Law and Justice is hosting a screening of Undercover – a groundbreaking documentary on women and homelessness. The screening will be followed by a conversation with the filmmaker and an expert panel from University of NSW, Homelessness NSW and the Tenants' Union of NSW. The screening is free but bookings are essential.
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Be part of the team working for housing justice in NSW! The Tenant's Union is seeking people to fill these permanent part-time positions...
Training Officer
The Training Officer will deliver our state-wide training program for Tenants Advice and Advocacy Services (TAASs), under supervision of the Learning and Development Coordinator. The Training Officer will facilitate face-to-face and online synchronous training, help to develop new training workshops and materials, and coordinate our regional TAAS conference.
Permanent part-time (28 hrs/week), SCHADS Grade 5, $51.57-$53.94 /hour.
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Media and Communications Officer
The Media and Communications Officer will assist in ensuring Tenants’ Union communications and media engagement are managed with creativity and passion to further our support for renters in NSW, collaborating with the CEO, Policy and Advocacy Manager, and Communications Coordinator, as well as other Tenants’ Union staff and stakeholders. Key accountabilities will include producing website material, email campaigns, and social media content; responding to media requests, placing stories, engaging and monitoring media; sourcing and coordinating the sharing of content on Tenants’ Union social media channels, such as resources available for renters to assist with legal issues, and responses to current issues facing renters; and contributing to Tenants’ Union communications strategy.
Permanent part-time (hours negotiable, up to 28 hrs/week), SCHADS Grade 5, per experience, $51.57-$53.94 /hour.
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Help the Tenants' Union continue our work for tenants
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