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
In low-wage Portugal, Europe’s housing crisis bites deep
Helena Alves and Barry Hatton AP News (No paywall) Like a growing number of people in Portugal, Georgina Simoes no longer earns enough money to afford a place to live.
The 57-year-old nursing home carer earns less than 800 euros ($845) a month, as do about a fourth of the country’s workforce. For the last decade, she got by because she’s been paying just 300 euros a month for her one-bedroom apartment in an undistinguished Lisbon neighborhood.
Now, with rents soaring in the capital, her landlord is evicting her. She says she’s not budging because finding another place near work will be too expensive.
https://apnews.com/article/portugal-housing-crisis-lisbon-touris…
# International, Eviction, Rent, Housing affordability, Long-term tenant, Older people.ACT Government leads the way in strengthening renters’ rights with historic ban on 'no cause' evictions
Shane Rattenbury ACT Government (No paywall)The ACT Government is leading the way in strengthening renters’ rights by becoming the first Australian jurisdiction to remove all forms of tenancy termination without a legitimate cause.
Welcoming the passage of rental reforms through the ACT Legislative Assembly today, Attorney‑General Shane Rattenbury said the changes will give tenants greater security of tenure as they will no longer need to fear being evicted without reason.
https://www.cmtedd.act.gov.au/open_government/inform/act_governm…
# Legal significance Australia, Eviction, Campaigns and law reform, No-grounds evictions, State Government.Sydney granny flat for rent compared to a 'prison': 'Is this a joke?'
Carly Bass Yahoo News (No paywall)A granny flat in Sydney's western suburbs has been ridiculed online as renters continue to battle Australia's surging rental market.
While a "quiet and clean" one-bedroom property that's "fully furnished" sounds like a dream for some, this particular place failed to hit the mark for many.
https://au.news.yahoo.com/sydney-granny-flat-rent-compared-priso…
# Hot topic NSW, Rent, Granny flats, studios, Housing market.Swiss city Lucerne votes to restrict Airbnb rentals
AFP France24 (No paywall)The Swiss city of Lucerne voted Sunday to limit short-term rentals, including on the Airbnb platform, to a maximum of 90 days a year.
Just over 64 percent of voters in the picturesque city in central Switzerland were in favour of the restriction tabled by the leftwing Social Democrats.
Backers of the initiative said it aimed to cap large-scale temporary rentals by commercial providers and to free up living space for residents of Lucerne, which is facing a significant housing crunch.
https://amp.france24.com/en/live-news/20230312-swiss-city-lucern…
# International, Housing affordability, Landlords and agents, Short-term holiday letting, Strong communities.NSW to ban no grounds evictions for renters on rolling leases
Tawar Razaghi The Sydney Morning Herald (No paywall)No grounds evictions are set to be banned in NSW for renters on rolling leases, as the Liberal and Nationals parties, Labor and the Greens all commit to ending the practice.
The NSW Liberal and Nationals have proposed a “reasonable grounds” model for evictions for periodic leases and will consult on a list of reasonable grounds with key stakeholders including landlords as part of an election policy package for renters.
https://www.smh.com.au/property/news/nsw-to-ban-no-grounds-evict…
# Hot topic NSW, Campaigns and law reform, Landlords and agents, No-grounds evictions, State Government.Hundreds of Sydney real estate agents on notice for breaching new rent bidding rules
Paige Cockburn ABC (No paywall)Hundreds of NSW real estate agents have been issued warnings for breaching new rent bidding rules and Fair Trading officials will now start attending open houses to stamp out illegal activity.
Last December the state government outlawed solicited rent bidding, which is when a landlord or agent invites, suggests or asks prospective tenants to increase their rent offer to secure a property.
But the new laws are being ignored by many in the industry.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-03/hundreds-real-estate-agen…
# NSW, Rent, Campaigns and law reform, Landlords and agents, NSW Fair Trading, State Government.‘I was in tears’: collapsed ceiling in family home a sign of dire state of NSW public housing
Michael McGowan The Guardian (No paywall)When the ceiling of an upstairs bedroom in Dean Kahukiwa’s public housing unit in Sydney collapsed during a storm in February, the father of three immediately started calling for help.
“I was watching it as it was happening, first the water started to come in through the window. Then it sort of spread across the ceiling towards the light and all of a sudden a crack started to appear. Then ‘whooosh’ it went,” he told the Guardian.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/mar/14/i-was-in-…
# Hot topic NSW, Public and community housing, Repairs, DCJ Housing, Health, State Government, Tenants Advice and Advocacy Services.Wollongong real estate agent Bob Onofri shuns technology, rent rises
Nicole Curby ABC (No paywall)While most real estate agents have windows lined with screens showing lavish, slick promotional videos, realtor Bob Onofri's shopfront appears stuck in the 1960s.
He does not have a computer, a mobile phone, the internet, or any technology more sophisticated than a landline.
...
But Mr Onofri says he is bucking that trend, rarely increasing his tenants' rents.
"I maintain that extra $20 for the owner is an investment, but that $20 for a family to look after their kids is more important," he says.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-15/wollongong-real-estate-ag…
# NSW, Rent, Landlords and agents, Regional NSW.