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
New data shows hardest hit areas for rental price rises as ‘desperate’ renters struggle to stay afloat
Sarah Kester 7 News (No paywall)There are fears skyrocketing rental prices could be “plunging” renters into homelessness as new data shows the areas hardest hit by NSW’s ongoing housing crisis New rental data has highlighted the areas most affected by rising rental costs over the past 12 months, urging welfare agencies to call on state government to help “desperate” people find a home. “NSW is entrenched in a severe housing crisis which is causing severe distress and harm across the state,” Homelessness NSW CEO Dominique Rowe said.
https://7news.com.au/news/new-data-shows-hardest-hit-areas-for-r…
# Hot topic NSW, Rent.‘Extremely concerning’: Once affordable areas hit hardest by rent increases in Sydney
Nathan Schmidt news.com.au (No paywall)Sydney suburbs once considered to be more affordable than other parts of the city have been hit hardest by rental increases, “extremely concerning” new data has revealed. The analysis of recent bond lodgements by Homelessness NSW found rents in Greater Sydney had risen by 9.1 per cent over the past year. Sydney’s southwest, usually more affordable, was hit hardest with increase of up to 16.4 per cent in Liverpool, Fairfield, and Camden. Homelessness NSW CEO Dominique Rowe said the findings were “extremely concerning”, with renters plunged into homelessness.
https://www.news.com.au/finance/money/extremely-concerning-once-…
# Hot topic NSW, Rent.$704 per week: Illawarra rental prices on the rise again
Brendan Crabb Illawarra Mercury (No paywall)Rent values in the Illawarra continue to climb, with dwelling rents going up by an average of 0.6 per cent in July. According to CoreLogic's monthly Chart Pack figures, the median rent for the Illawarra for all dwellings (houses and units combined) is $704, up from $663 a year prior. This is compared to a current median rent of $573 for the rest of NSW, excluding Sydney, and $539 a year prior. Meanwhile, in Greater Sydney, the current median rent is $777.
https://view.com.au/news/nsw/704-per-week-illawarra-rental-price…
# Hot topic NSW, Rent.Holiday rentals make up 10 per cent of housing supply
Coast Community News (No paywall)Holiday rental accommodation takes up as much as 10 per cent of housing on the Central Coast, according to a Local Housing Strategy (LHS), adopted by Administrator Rik Hart at the May 28 Central Coast Council meeting. The Strategy will now be presented to the State Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI), for endorsement. It says that about 10 per cent of private dwellings within the Central Coast Local Government Area were unoccupied on Census night in 2021. Three districts recorded unoccupancy rates above the average.
https://coastcommunitynews.com.au/central-coast/news/2024/06/hol…
# Hot topic NSW, Rent.Portable rental bond system on the way
Coast Community News (No paywall)Eligible tenants moving from one rental property to another will soon be able to digitally take their bond with them, under a portable rental bonds system being undertaken by the NSW Government. The move is part of a package of rental law reforms designed to deliver a fairer rental system. Member for Gosford Liesl Tesch said the state’s first ever portable rental bonds scheme will be a welcome development for NSW’s rental community, which is nearly one in every three members of the NSW population. “More people are renting than ever before, and the number of people renting is up 17.6 per cent since 2016,” Tesch said. “Renters are already burdened with the double whammy of increasing rents and low vacancy rates.
https://coastcommunitynews.com.au/central-coast/news/2024/08/por…
# Hot topic NSW, Bond.‘Get with the program’: The issue holding back Sydney’s new homes
Michael Koziol The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)The state government has begun a shake-up of Sydney Water’s board and ordered it to “get with the program” on solving the housing crisis, amid escalating tension over the state-owned corporation’s approach to enabling infrastructure for new homes. Water Minister Rose Jackson branded the company “a big problem” when it came to releasing land for greenfield development, accusing it and the previous government of hugely underinvesting in capital works, though that was now being remedied.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/get-with-the-program-the-iss…
# Hot topic NSW, Utilities electricity water gas.Renter union vents frustration at Federal rent assistance increase
Sarah Petty realestate.com.au (No paywall)A tenant’s union has called out the federal government for increasing rental assistance by about $20, believing they were offering “crumbs disguised as cakes”. The Albanese government announced on the weekend it was raising Commonwealth Rent Assistance by 10 per cent from September 20, which gives renters up to $23 extra a fortnight to put towards their lease commitments. It comes after the federal government also increased rent assistance by 10 per cent in its May budget.
https://www.realestate.com.au/news/renter-union-vents-frustratio…
# Must read Australia, Rent.Four Steps To Stop Your Landlord Stealing Your Bond
Listnr Newsroom (No paywall)Complete the condition report carefully at the start and end of your tenancy, ensuring it accurately reflects the property’s state. This helps avoid disputes over any damages. In this two-part feature, The Briefing looks into the messy world of rental bonds. In Part One, CEO of the New South Wales Tenants’ Union Leo Patterson Ross explains how to stop your landlord stealing your bond, and whether there’s a way to run this system that’s better for everyone.
https://articles.listnr.com/news/four-steps-to-stop-your-landlor…
# TUNSW in the media, Audio Australia, Bond, Rent, You want to leave.