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Tenants' Union news

Also check out our blog, Tenant News archive, media appearances, and Housing News Digest.
For factsheets and sample letters, please see Tenancy info.

 

New rules for operators

Outasite article
During the review of the Residential Parks Act 1998 one of the key issues raised by residents was the conduct of operators. Many stories were told about interference with the sale of homes, harassment and intimidation by operators. The Residential (Land Lease) Communities Act 2013 contains a number of new provisions in relation to operator behaviour, including new rules of conduct.
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New rules in communities

Gnome
Community rules (previously called park rules) are about the use, enjoyment, control and management of a community. Unlike the Residential Parks Act 1998, the Residential (Land Lease) Communities Act 2013 does not set specific subject matter for rules so they can be about anything that fits into these general themes.
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Never give up! The campaign to keep assignment

Christina
When the draft Residential (Land Lease) Communities Bill was first released in April 2013 one of the big concerns residents and advocates had was that under the new Act residents would lose the right to assign their site agreements. The draft Bill seemed to favour operators, providing weaker assignment provisions than those available in the Residential Parks Act 1998.
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It's gold! The value of your site agreement

Keep calm
One of the most concerning changes in the new Residential (Land Lease) Communities Act 2013 is the introduction of ‘voluntary sharing arrangements’. Under the voluntary sharing arrangement provisions an operator can offer new site agreements that include entry and exit fees and entitle the operator to a share in the sale price, or in any future capital gain on a home when it is sold.
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A home under the gum trees

House
Everyone loves a big, beautiful, shady tree in the backyard or by the side of the road … except, of course, when that tree’s overhanging branches threaten to fall during a storm and cause personal injury or damage to a home.
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Selling your home

Outasite article
The Residential (Land Lease) Communities Act 2013 (the Act) introduces some new and necessary rights for home owners in the area of home sales. Selling a home on-site without interference should be a basic and easily enforceable right but this has not always been the case. Hopefully the new provisions will change this.
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Emergency access in your park

Boom gate
It is an operator’s responsibility to ensure that emergency service vehicles can access a park. We spoke to a park resident about the emergency access issues he faced in his park.
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Your site fees and how they can be increased

House
The Residential (Land Lease) Communities Act 2013 introduces a new possibility for the setting of site fees in new site agreements. The standard form agreement provides for site fees to be set at a percentage of the Age Pension. This is an interesting inclusion because the percentage will be accurate only for a short time and it therefore appears to be unnecessary. It also has the potential to confuse.
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Renting a home in a residential community

Caravan
From 1 November 2015 people who rent a home in a residential community (residential park) will have rights and responsibilities under both the Residential Tenancies Act 2010 and the Residential (Land Lease) Communities Act 2013. This applies whether they rent from the operator or someone else.
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You shall not covet your neighbour's house

Millers Point - not for sale photo
On March 19th 2014 the O'Farrell Government announced the proposed sale of 293 public housing properties in Millers Point and the Rocks. Now, just over 18 months later, Dr Robert Mowbray provides a sobering look at the impact on this unique inner-suburban community, and its resident tenants...
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