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
Untaxed – how governments lure capital into real estate and feed the housing crisis
various Investigate Europe (No paywall)European governments give huge tax benefits to real estate investors and owners - a policy that is common in many member states despite all political differences. Over the past months, Investigate Europe’s team analysed the taxation and loopholes for real estate investments in several European countries. This lures billions of euros to the overheated real estate market.
...
Investigate Europe spoke to people behind the figures, victims of the housing crisis in many European countries. The reporters also confronted national governments with the tax privileges and their social costs. Read those findings, human stories and political answers in our newest investigation, #Untaxed.
https://www.investigate-europe.eu/en/2022/untaxed-real-estate/
# Must read International, Housing affordability, Housing market, Human rights, Landlords and agents, Tax.Six month delay to Scottish short-term lets licensing scheme
BBC BBC (No paywall)The deadline by which hosts of short-term lets in Scotland need to get a licence has been delayed by six months.
The scheme, which could see fines of up to £2,500 imposed on people who rent out property without permission, was set up by the government in October.
It is aimed at reducing the impact of Airbnb-style lets on local communities and the availability of housing.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-63916032?…
# International, Housing affordability, Short-term holiday letting.NSW to investigate ways to end bidding wars over rental properties
Tamsin Rose The Guardian (No paywall)Bidding wars for New South Wales rental properties could be outlawed after the state’s customer service minister, Victor Dominello, ordered an urgent review of interstate efforts to curb the widespread practice.
Peak housing bodies have long been calling for a ban on rental bidding to bring the state into line with Victoria, Queensland and Tasmania, where advertised rents are set and cannot be bid up by prospective tenants, or listed as a range.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/dec/05/nsw-to-in…
# Hot topic, TUNSW in the media NSW, Rent, Housing market, Landlords and agents, State Government.Dodgy detail in $850 Sydney rental apartment highlights major issue
Carly Bass Yahoo News (No paywall)Aussies have certainly felt the pinch with rising rental costs, and with higher prices and higher demand, it's getting harder to find something suitable.
But one listing in Sydney's inner-west highlights the dire state the rental market's in, with a commercial office space being flogged as a four-bedroom apartment for $850 a week. Doing this is "likely unlawful," NSW Teneants' Union CEO Leo Patterson Ross told Yahoo News Australia.
https://au.news.yahoo.com/dodgy-detail-in-850-sydney-rental-apar…
# TUNSW in the media NSW, Security and safety, Housing market, Landlords and agents, Sydney.Rental bidding under investigation in NSW as Sydney’s property crisis grows
Jessica Wang news.com.au (No paywall)Despite being illegal in other states, NSW’s rental crisis has sparked a trend which is making it almost impossible for applicants to find a home.
Both Labor and Liberal politicians have backed calls to reform NSW rental practices, as the property crisis deepens amid rising rents and dwindling stock.
Rental bidding in particular has been highlighted as a major issue, despite the practice being banned in Victoria, Tasmania and Queensland.
However, in NSW, agents and landlords can advertise properties without a fixed rate, or list a range. The practice can create a situation in which applicants can opt to pay a higher rent, pricing out those who aren’t able to.
https://www.news.com.au/finance/real-estate/renting/rental-biddi…
# Hot topic, TUNSW in the media NSW, Rent, Landlords and agents.NSW landlords forced to pay tenants thousands of dollars over mould issue
Ally Foster news.com.au (No paywall)Two landlords have been forced to pay a couple thousands of dollars after failing to address a growing mould issue in the home they were renting.
The couple moved into the three-bedroom home in Narara, in NSW’s Central Coast region, in September 2021.
They had entered into a 12-month residential tenancy agreement for the property at the rate of $550 a week.
https://www.news.com.au/finance/real-estate/renting/nsw-landlord…
# Legal significance NSW, Repairs, Mould.New laws to stop rent bidding could be brought in
9 News 9 News (No paywall)The government could soon bring in new laws to stop rent bidding, a practice which drives up rental prices. NSW Tenants' Union CEO Leo Patterson Ross joins to discuss the potential impacts for the real state industry, renters, landlords and investors making mortgage repayments
# TUNSW in the media, Video NSW, Rent, Housing market, Landlords and agents.‘It’s grubby’: Major investigation launched into ‘rent-bidding’
Luke Grant 2GB (No paywall)Sydney’s crushing rental market could see strict new laws brought in to ban the trend of ‘rent bidding’.
Rents have to be advertised at a fixed price in Queensland, Victoria and Tasmania, but not in NSW.
NSW Trading Minister Victor Dominello has said he’ll launch an investigation into the practice, to help protect our most vulnerable.
Shelter NSW CEO John Engeler told Luke Grant it should be made illegal.
“It’s grubby, un-Australian and not fair at all. It’s capitalising on people’s desperate need to secure housing.”
https://www.2gb.com/its-grubby-major-investigation-launched-into…
# Hot topic, Audio NSW, Rent, Housing affordability, Landlords and agents.