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NEWTAAS 2018 Annual Report

NEWTAAS Annual Report
The New England and Western Tenants' Advice and Advocacy Service had another busy year in 2017-2018. Our staff are a small but tight-knit team. We’re dedicated and hard-working because we know just how serious the work that we do is. We often have a direct impact on a family’s capacity to stay in their home, and that is a very serious responsibility.
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Rent Choice Assist launched

FACS logo
Yesterday Minister Goward announced Rent Choice Assist – this is a private rental subsidy that can support people at risk of homelessness to maintain their rentals with assistance for up to three years.
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Waterloo Redevelopment Masterplan Process Whiteboard Animation launched

Waterloo Redevelopment Masterplan Process Whiteboard Animation
A new video outlining the process for developing the Waterloo Redevelopment Masterplan Process has been launched. The aim of the whiteboard animation project is to provide independent information to the whole of the Waterloo community and key stakeholders on the Waterloo masterplan process, and to encourage the community to have its voice heard as part of the process through an engaging, original and innovative medium.
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What it takes to keep a TAAS running - Interview with Carol Allen, Administration and Finance at Murra Mia Tenant Advocacy Service

Carol Allen, Administration and Finance at Murra Mia Tenant Advocacy Service
Murra Mia Tenant Advocacy Service advocates on behalf of Aboriginal tenants in their catchment area, which covers Wollongong down to the Victorian border, across to Griffith and Wagga Wagga and Dareton. They are currently working with other Aboriginal organisations in the area to form an alliance to ensure Aboriginal clients are able to access services available through different Government and non-Government organisations.
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Local Government Regulations

The Grange
When you live in, or operate, a land lease community the Residential (Land Lease) Communities Act (RLLC Act) is not the only legislation you need to know about. The Local Government (Manufactured Home Estates, Caravan Parks, Camping Grounds and Moveable Dwellings) Regulation (the Regulation) also has a significant role.
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Abandoned and alone

The Grauls’ home
Residential land lease community law recognises that people who purchase homes in these communities need to be compensated if the operator takes away the leasehold right on the land where their home is situated.
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Wrong Agreement? Don't panic - get legal advice

David
Contract law and the rules for contract formation play a key part in everyday life and land lease communities are no different – everything flows from the contract. Contracts or agreements are usually made in writing but what if you have an agreement that is not in writing, or the agreement is different to the one you should have been given? Here we look at two matters that ended up at NCAT during late 2017 and early 2018. One where the home-owner had no written signed agreement and the other where the homeowners were given the wrong type of agreement applicable to their circumstances.
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Site fee increase disputes at NCAT

NCAT
Excessive site fee increases rarely make it to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) since the introduction of the compulsory mediation process. However, in 2017 some home owners at Gateway Lifestyle Redhead could not reach an agreement with the operator and they did go to the Tribunal.
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Power to the people at a reasonable price

Power to the people
With the commencement of the Residential (Land Lease) Communities Act 2013 on 1 November 2015, the method for calculating consumption charges for electricity, gas and water changed. The Tenants’ Union has published articles, a report and held discussions with home owners, Tenant Advocates, the NSW Energy and Water Ombudsman (EWON) and NSW Fair Trading to explain that operators should not and cannot charge more than they are charged by utility providers.
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Buyer beware

Outasite article
“Buyer beware” appears to have become an unintentional theme in this issue of Outasite with various articles highlighting some of the pitfalls for home owners who purchase a home in a land lease community only to discover later that all is not as it should be.
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