Need to know
- Two years ago the National Cabinet committed to ‘A Better Deal for Renters’
- The program's goal of ending no-grounds evictions and limiting rent increases to once a year has largely been met in NSW, Victoria, the ACT and SA
- But WA, NT and Tasmania have made little progress toward establishing these and other fundamental tenancy protections
Tenancy protections have been strengthened in some states and territories in recent years, but renting remains an iffy prospect for many.
Despite the gains in some jurisdictions, unfair rent hikes, arbitrary evictions and unsafe conditions are common issues affecting millions of people.
Two years ago the National Cabinet – an inter-governmental group made up of the prime minister, state and territory premiers and other officials – committed to a program called 'A Better Deal for Renters'. It was a response to the increasingly precarious state of the rental market around the country, where housing shortages and high rents had become the norm.
The aim was to develop a nationally consistent approach to ending no-grounds evictions, limiting rent increases to once a year and establishing minimum standards for the quality and safety of residences.
The first two measures have come to pass in NSW, Victoria, the ACT, and South Australia, but a recent report from the National Association of Renters' Organisations and National Shelter reveals that the rest of the country still has a long way to go on these and other rights.
Reforms needed to make renting fair across the country
Currently, the strength of your rental rights depends on where you live, a situation that needs to change, says John Engeler, CEO of Shelter NSW and spokesperson for National Shelter.
"The rental experience in Australia shouldn't differ depending on what side of the Murray or Tweed you are renting on," Engeler says. "The experience of renting should be consistent across all states and territories, especially as Australia's renting population increases."
Alice Pennycott, principal lawyer for Western Australia's Circle Green Community Legal Centre, says the situation for renters in WA is "especially grim".
"We continue to fall further behind the rest of the country, and renters are left exposed while the government delays action on the most basic and fundamental reforms."
The experience of renting should be consistent across all states and territories, especially as Australia's renting population increases
National Shelter spokesperson John Engeler
Renters in Tasmania are also in a tight spot, according to Alex Bomford, acting principal solicitor with the Tenants' Union of Tasmania. "Whilst other jurisdictions have implemented extensive reforms in recent years, Tasmania's renters have been left behind, with no significant changes being made to the tenancy legislation in more than a decade," he says. "Renting in Tasmania is insecure, unaffordable and unsafe."
And even where rental reforms have been enacted, they often haven't gone far enough. CEO of ACT Shelter Corinne Dobson says "renters in the ACT still face serious challenges – from inadequate minimum standards to weak privacy protections – and it's clear all governments must do more to turn reform commitments into real change on the ground".
The long road to reform
The difficulties of renting in Australia seemed to escalate dramatically in the 2010s. In 2017, we published a major report which revealed that 83% of renters around the country had no fixed-term lease or were on leases less than 12 months long.
Half the tenants who took part in the study said they've been discriminated against, and an equal percentage said they were worried about being blacklisted on a 'bad tenant' database.
Twenty percent of the renters we heard from said they had experienced leaking, flooding and issues with mould.
Nearly seven out of 10 renters were concerned that a request for repairs could mean a rent increase and 44% were concerned it could get them evicted from their homes
In a follow-up report in 2018, we delivered more disturbing news. More than half the people we heard from in our national survey lived in homes in need of repair. Women over 55 were doing it particularly tough, with 66% of them reporting that they would find a rent increase of 10% difficult or very difficult to afford, compared with 39% of the rest of the population.
Nearly seven out of 10 renters were concerned that a request for repairs could mean a rent increase and 44% were concerned it could get them evicted from their homes.
In some states and territories, little has changed since that 2018 survey.
Northern Territory and WA faring the worst
The National Association of Renters' Organisations report rates states and territories on a range of criteria, including their approaches to no-grounds and retaliatory evictions, limits on rent increases and minimum housing standards.
The Northern Territories is singled out for making "no progress" on behalf of renters in any of these areas, while no-grounds evictions remain a significant issue in Western Australia, along with the lack of minimum standards.
We haven't yet seen a comprehensive approach by the federal government that ensures the voices and experiences of renters are heard when decisions affecting their lives are being made
National Association of Renters' Organisations spokesperson Leo Patterson Ross
Several states (the ACT, Tasmania and WA) still haven't made rentals easy to apply for and are still failing to protect renters' personal information.
Leo Patterson Ross, spokesperson for National Association of Renters' Organisations and CEO of Tenants' Union NSW, says government leadership "needs to be coupled with effective and evidence-based approaches to delivering and regulating the sector".
"We haven't yet seen a comprehensive approach by the federal government that ensures the voices and experiences of renters are heard when decisions affecting their lives are being made," he says.
National Shelter is calling on the federal government to oversee the harmonisation of rental laws across Australia, so that someday renters can enjoy levels of security and stability similar to those who own their home.
We're on your side
For more than 60 years, we've been making a difference for Australian consumers. In that time, we've never taken ads or sponsorship.
Instead we're funded by members who value expert reviews and independent product testing.
With no self-interest behind our advice, you don't just buy smarter, you get the answers that you need.
You know without hesitation what's safe for you and your family. And our recent sunscreens test showed just how important it is to keep business claims in check.
So you'll never be alone when something goes wrong or a business treats you unfairly.
Learn more about CHOICE membership today
Stock images: Getty, unless otherwise stated.
