Have your say to create a fairer NSW rental system

We have a critical opportunity to make renting fairer for the more than 2.4 million people in NSW who call their rental property home. The NSW Government is consulting on improving our state's rental laws and is seeking community feedback by 11 August 2023. 

Renting is becoming increasingly unaffordable and more difficult in NSW. Low income and disadvantaged renters experience the greatest hardship from excessive rents, poor quality housing and the lack of available properties close to work, school and communities.

Anglicare's 2023 annual rental snapshot found that affordability had plummeted to record lows. In NSW there are virtually no rental properties, less than 0.1%, affordable for people on JobSeeker, Youth Allowance or Parenting Payment Single. For a single person on the minimum wage, less than 1% of rental properties are affordable.

More than one-third of renters and more than half of low income renters are in housing stress, leaving them unable to afford the essentials such as food and power bills. The lack of affordable properties stops tenants from challenging exorbitant rent increases or asking for basic repairs to maintain a healthy and safe living environment. 

The Society, along with tenants' and housing peaks, has long advocated for a fairer rental system in NSW. You can read our briefing notes on ending no-grounds evictions, making it easier to keep pets, and setting fair limits on rent increases. These three rental reform priorities are also outlined in our policy statement, Housing Justice: A Home for Everyone.

We are pleased the government is taking steps to implement it's pre-election rental reform commitments. The discussion paper canvasses changes to existing rental laws, including ending no-grounds evictions, making it easier to keep pets, limiting personal information held by agents, introducing portable bonds and other matters including limiting rent increases. 

As they say, the devil is in the detail, and this consultation process is an important opportunity to show the government that there is wide spread community support for reform and to shape how the changes are designed and implemented so that the interests of low income and disadvantaged renters are kept firmly on the agenda.

You can have your say through the Have Your Say website by Friday 11 August. If you would like assistance with making a submission please contact us at social.justice@vinnies.org.au. The Tenant's Union NSW has also developed these resources for renters to assist them with making a submission. 

Now is the time to have your say on how to make our rental system fairer so people who rent have an affordable, secure place to call home.