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.
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Archive
UK house prices rose by most since 2022 in March, official data shows
Reuters (Paywall)British house prices rose at their fastest pace since the end of 2022 in the 12 months to March, according to official data published on Wednesday. Average house prices rose by an annual 6.4%, the fastest increase since December 2022 and up from a 5.5% increase in February, the Office for National Statistics said.
https://www.reuters.com/markets/europe/uk-house-prices-rose-by-m…
# Hot topic International, .How Perth's 'astonishing' rent increases are making housing unattainable for West Australians
Briana Shepherd ABC (No paywall)Times are definitely tough for WA renters. Those in Perth are facing a level of growth that has seen it go from being the country's most affordable capital to rent in, to the second-most expensive in just five years. According to the latest market insight report from property advertising platform REA Group, the median weekly rent for a house in Perth is now $700. That is 7.1 per cent more than 12 months ago, marking the biggest growth among the country's capital cities. The growth in rent for units has been even bigger, with the median rent for a unit in Perth up 8.3 per cent from last year to $650.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-04-17/perth-rent-prices-austral…
# Must read Australia, Rent.The most profitable locations for property investors to short-term let
Elizabeth Redman Domain (No paywall)The most lucrative towns for investors to let out properties on the short-term rental market have been revealed in new research that highlights the earning potential of regional areas. But experts warn demand for second homes in these kinds of areas affects the availability of long-term rental properties and pushes up rents. The Whitsunday region in Queensland was ranked as Australia’s most profitable location for short-term rentals, with annual revenue potential of $141,372, on figures from research firm AirDNA. It was followed by Singleton in the NSW Hunter Valley at $115,783 a year, then Exmouth in north-west WA at $101,976.
https://www.domain.com.au/news/the-most-profitable-locations-for…
# Hot topic Australia, .Tenancy law has changed in NSW
Tenants' Union of NSW (No paywall)On 19 May 2025, new tenancy laws came into effect in NSW. After many years of campaigning, the changes in the Residential Tenancies Amendment Act 2024 represent a significant improvement for NSW renters. The Act has now made 'no grounds' evictions unlawful, made it a little easier to have pets in your home, and improved rental payment rules. In October 2024, rent increases were capped at once yearly for most agreements, and fees for background checks were banned. Other changes that have also come into effect are that toilets must be dual flush to meet water efficiency standards, and the NSW Rental Commissioner will sit on the Rental Bond Board. There are certain other changes that have yet to come into effect. This page will continue to be updated as we share what we know about the changes and how they affect renters.
# Must read, TUNSW in the media, Research alert NSW, Eviction, Rent.Laws ending no fault evictions come into effect in NSW
ABC (No paywall)Leo Patterson Ross, the CEO of the Tenants' Union of NSW, say the new rental laws will make a positive difference, but still leave loopholes for landlords. Changes to rental laws in New South Wales that take effect on May 19 require landlords to provide reasons to end a lease. NSW Rental Commissioner Trina Jones said removing "no-grounds eviction" corrected the power imbalance between renters and landlords while still protecting landlords' rights.
# TUNSW in the media, New policy announcement, Video NSW, .Landlord ordered to pay tenant compensation amid calls for landlord register
Elloise Farrow-Smith ABC (No paywall)A cloud hovers over rental life. Step a foot wrong and you can end up on a national renter "name and shame" list. But what happens when landlords behave badly? In one recent case in New South Wales, the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) ordered a landlord to pay a Mullumbimby renter $7,684 for causing "stress, constant frustration and continued intimidation". The tenant, Stephanie Humble, says it was never about the money.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-19/calls-for-landlord-regist…
# Must read, TUNSW in the media NSW, Rent.Eviction notices for Lake Illawarra's homeless, nomadic people living at Kully Bay Park
Brooke Chandler and Nick McLaren ABC (No paywall)More than a dozen homeless and nomadic people living in a public car park in southern Wollongong are petitioning against an eviction notice issued by state authorities. The Kully Bay Park site on the edge of Lake Illawarra has become a popular accommodation spot in recent years and is a collection of tents, caravans and campervans. There are no public toilets or showers in or near the car park, leading to concerns about public hygiene.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-20/kully-bay-homeless-receiv…
# Must read NSW, Discrimination, Eviction, Rent.Labor played the Medicare card in its victory. Now it wants to own housing
Alexandra Smith The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)NSW Labor heavyweights have established a new campaigning arm of the party to elevate housing to a “cause not just policy” akin to its long-held support for workers’ rights and Medicare. On the back of the party’s federal success in using Medicare as the centrepiece of its election campaign, Labor for Housing has been established to campaign for YIMBYism and ensure the party becomes defined by its commitment to solving the housing crisis, according to one of its founders.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/labor-played-the-medicare-ca…
# Must read NSW, Rent.