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.
Our main email newsletter, Tenant News is sent once every two months. You can subscribe or update your subscription preferences for any of our email newsletters here.
See notes about the Digest and a list of other contributors here. Many thanks to those contributors for sharing links with us.
We love sharing the news and hope you find it informative! We're very happy to deliver it for free, but if you find it valuable, can you help cover the extra costs incurred by making a donation?
Archive
Mind the gap: Cheaper apartment rents are letting buyers into the market sooner
Melissa Heagney Domain (No paywall)A record gap between the cost of renting a unit and a house is “opening a window” for first-home buyers looking to get into the property market, experts say. Nationally, the gap between house and apartment rents is now $50 per week, new analysis from Domain shows, with the median weekly rent for a house sitting at $477, while unit rent costs $427. Ten years ago, that gap was only $5. Domain chief of research and economics Nicola Powell said this record gap meant people renting units were able to save more now than ever, thanks to the cheaper costs, which allowed them to buy into the market sooner.
https://www.domain.com.au/news/mind-the-gap-cheaper-apartment-re…
# Australia, Rent, Strata, Home ownership, Housing market.NSW renters fear inspections virus risk
Hannah Ryan Canberra Times (No paywall)David lives in locked-down Sydney, which means he and his family are not allowed to leave the house without a reasonable excuse. But on Saturday a series of strangers will come through his inner west home to see if they want to buy it. His rental property, where he's halfway through a 14-month lease, is for sale. ... "There's this real disconnect between the public health messaging and the experience of many renters," Tenants' Union chief executive Leo Patterson Ross said. While open houses and auctions are banned, real estate agents can show potential buyers a property in a private appointment if they have a COVID-safety plan. But Mr Patterson Ross says, agents are scheduling a number of appointments back-to-back.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7352853/nsw-renters-fear-…
# Hot topic, TUNSW in the media NSW, Privacy and access, Rent, Coronavirus COVID-19, Housing market, Landlords and agents, State Government.Tenants asked to leave home for inspections during Sydney lockdown
Eden Gillespie SBS (No paywall)David is a tenant in Sydney’s inner-west. He told The Feed he’s shocked inspections are still able to go ahead in the property he is renting during the thick of lockdown and despite his daughter being immunocompromised. When David* was told his real estate agent wanted to hold inspections in the home he’s renting during Sydney’s lockdown, he thought “that can’t be right”. A quick Google search proved him wrong. ... Leo Patterson Ross, chief executive at Tenants Union NSW, told The Feed inspections in Greater Sydney are causing “a huge amount of distress.” “People are trying to do the right thing. They can’t go and see their mum but they’re forced to let people into their house,” Mr Patterson Ross said. “It’s the inconsistency that’s upsetting people.” Mr Patterson Ross said the union is advocating for inspections to be put on hold if tenants are living in properties, whether that be for general inspections or if a property is up for sale.
https://www.sbs.com.au/news/the-feed/tenants-asked-to-leave-home…
# Hot topic, TUNSW in the media NSW, Privacy and access, Rent, Coronavirus COVID-19, Housing market, Landlords and agents, State Government.Housing crisis: the Aussie women forced to live in campervans
Susan Cheney (No paywall)The housing crisis is tipping more Australian women towards homelessness, and in northern NSW the situation is critical. Five local women share their stories, hoping that their courage and honesty will inspire change. (The Australian Women's Weekly)
https://www.pressreader.com/australia/the-australian-womens-week…
# Hot topic Australia, Homelessness, Housing market, Regional NSW, Women.‘Die of cold or die of stress?’: Social housing is frequently colder than global health guidelines
Daniel Daly, Frederico Tartarini, Gordon Waitt and Michael Tibbs The Conversation (No paywall)As you huddle inside this winter – possibly as part of a pandemic lockdown – you might be noticing the “thermal performance” of your home. In other words, does your home maintain a comfortable temperature inside, despite cold conditions outside? If you’re a social housing tenant in New South Wales, the answer may well be no. Our new research examined the relationship between energy consumption and thermal performance in 42 social housing dwellings. We found many homes operated outside the healthy temperature recommendations of the World Health Organisation (WHO) for substantial periods, particularly during winter. Our research also found many social housing tenants were effectively being forced to choose between keeping their home at a healthy temperature through cooling and heating, and keeping their energy bills manageable.
https://theconversation.com/die-of-cold-or-die-of-stress-social-…
# Research alert NSW, Public and community housing, Utilities water energy internet, Health.The cost of buying a home has increased by 130 per cent over two generations and Generation X is bearing the debt burden
Nassim Khadem ABC (No paywall)The cost of buying a home has increased by 130 per cent over two generations, leaving Generation X – those aged 41-56 years old – considerably worse off than the two generations before them and at risk of a looming debt disaster, a new report suggests. he discussion paper from Per Capita, "Generation Stressed", says the situation will get worse unless the federal government makes drastic policy changes such as removing or limiting negative gearing and axing the 50 per cent capital gains tax discount. "The federal government could axe tax incentives for investors, particularly the Capital Gains Tax Discount, and remove or limit negative gearing," the paper says.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-23/house-prices-property-gen…
# Research alert Australia, Federal Government, Home ownership, Housing affordability, Housing market, Tax.Health and Wellbeing in the Private Rented Sector: Enhancing Capabilities
Jennifer Harris and Kim McKee (No paywall)COVID-19 has exposed how housing operates as one of the key mechanisms through which social inequality translates into inequalities in health and wellbeing. This, in turn, raises questions on the multiple ways in which living in the private rented sector (PRS) impacts upon tenants’ wellbeing. ... One of the key findings: Some people living in the PRS, especially those with low incomes, experience capability deprivation which is linked to poor property conditions, spatial isolation, feelings of insecurity, illegal or poor landlord and letting agent management practices and issues of affordability. ... [Read a summary here] (Scottish Housing News) You will find the full report at: [https://housingevidence.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/HW-in-PRS-Part-2-final.pdf]
https://www.scottishhousingnews.com/article/second-report-launch…
# Research alert International, Rent, Coronavirus COVID-19, Health, Housing market.Bipartisan legislation introduced in Senate would address eviction crisis
Dave Kovaleski (No paywall)A bipartisan group of U.S. senators introduced legislation that seeks to reduce the number of evictions in the United States. The Eviction Crisis Act of 2021 – introduced by U.S. Sens. Michael Bennet (D-CO), Rob Portman (R-OH), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and Todd Young (R-IN) – would address the eviction crisis in several ways. [Read on] (Financial Regulation News) You will find more information about the Bill at:
[https://www.bennet.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/eviction-crisis-act]. You will find the Bill at: [https://www.bennet.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/2/f/2fac2718-81f0-4be6-8081-39e15e3a5c56/4F358E286BBCD54872E7BD77B3E7D3BB.mir21936.pdf]
https://financialregnews.com/bipartisan-legislation-introduced-i…
# International, Eviction, Rent, Federal Government.