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
Is it really too late to fix your mortgage interest rate?
Nicole Pedersen-McKinnon The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)Hi Nicole, We are looking to refinance our home loan and considering fixing the interest rate on the whole amount. However, you often write that it is not good to fix the entire loan balance. Given how good fixed rates look now, should we bite the bullet and do it? Thank you, Greg. Great question Greg [Read on]
https://www.smh.com.au/money/borrowing/is-it-really-too-late-to-…
# Australia, Home ownership, Housing market.‘Nightmare’: Changed orders keep buyers locked into defective Parramatta towers
Matt O'Sulliavn The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)Buyers of apartments in two 22-storey Parramatta towers with serious defects fear changes to orders imposed on a developer by the NSW building watchdog will strip away their right to rescind contracts and get their deposits back. The purchasers of apartments off the plan in the Imperial complex in Parramatta’s CBD are demanding to know why changes were made to a prohibition order last month. They are concerned that it will enable the developer to register a strata plan, stopping them from exiting their contracts, and claiming back their deposits, after a sunset clause expires on August 30. Sunset clauses allow buyers to terminate off-the-plan contracts if events such as the registration of a strata plan do not occur by a specified date.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/nightmare-changed-orders-kee…
# NSW, Strata, Housing market, Minimum habitability standards.Should home inspections be suspended for areas that are in lockdown?
ABC (No paywall)Watch ABC The Drum's discussion on Wednesday, 11 August 2021 about renting and access issues during lockdown? The segment begins at around the 37 minutes point. (ABC The Drum) Also, check 'Renters' Guide to COVID-19' at: [https://www.tenants.org.au/covid19/guide]
# TUNSW in the media, Video NSW, Privacy and access, Rent, Coronavirus COVID-19, Housing market.COVID-19 Financial Incentives for Landlords
Tenants' Union of NSW (No paywall)The NSW Government has introduced financial incentives that can be claimed by landlords who provide a rent reduction to tenants impacted by COVID-19 during this period. If you are an ‘impacted tenant’, you can advise your landlord that if they provide you with a rent reduction, then they can claim one of the ... two types of government payments. [Read on]
https://www.tenants.org.au/news/covid-19-financial-incentives-la…
# Hot topic NSW, Rent, Coronavirus COVID-19, Landlords and agents.Call for COVID-19 rental relief after tribunal backs eviction in landmark case
Jewel Topsfield The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)Victorians unable to pay rent between March 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic cannot be forced to repay what they owe until after October 25, a landmark tribunal case has determined. However, the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal found it was lawful to evict a person for unpaid rent accrued during the state’s moratorium on evictions after the suspension ended on March 28. The test case has renewed calls for the state government to introduce a rental assistance package that includes rent relief and targeted legal protections for renters affected by the pandemic as Victoria weathers its sixth lockdown.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/victoria/call-for-covid-19-renta…
# Hot topic Australia, Eviction, Rent, Tribunal NCAT, Coronavirus COVID-19, State Government.Older Women & Housing
Shelter WA (No paywall)Older women’s homelessness is often hidden from view. The 2016 Census estimated that 6,866 older women were homeless and a further 5,820 older women were living in marginal housing and may be at risk of homelessness. Older women are the fastest growing group at risk due to lower lifetime incomes, less access to financial assets such as superannuation because they are more likely to take on informal care responsibilities, relationship breakdown, and the consequences of family and domestic violence. With zero per cent of private rentals in Perth affordable to singles on government income support the choices are limited. This event highlighted the issues older women are currently facing and experiencing with an exploration into solutions across permanent and appropriate options for homes so older women on low incomes can age well.
# Australia, Rent, Affordable housing, Health, Homelessness, Older people, Women.COVID-19: Tenancy support for Victorian tenants
(No paywall)COVID-19 restrictions are in force once again for Victoria and are in place until Thursday, 19 August. If you rent in VIC, here’s where to get tenancy support. (rent.com.au)
# Hot topic Australia, Eviction, Rent, Coronavirus COVID-19.California promised 100% rent forgiveness for struggling tenants. Most are still waiting
Sam Levin The Guardian (No paywall)California’s ambitious program to provide rent relief to every low-income tenant struggling during the pandemic has been plagued by delays and challenges, and some renters who are waiting for the aid to arrive say they are now facing eviction threats. California officials have been working since March to distribute funds to landlords whose tenants fell behind on rent during the pandemic, and in June authorities promised that the state would pay off the entirety of the rent debt of qualifying tenants. But the program has been slow to roll out, with eligible tenants across the state having difficulties applying while others say they’ve had to wait months for funds. Tenant groups fear that if problems persist, hundreds of thousands of renters could be vulnerable to displacement when California’s eviction protections expire at the end of September.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/aug/09/california-promi…
# Hot topic International, Eviction, Rent, Coronavirus COVID-19, State Government.