Tenants' Union of Tasmania News

First Hurdle For Tenancy Changes Completed

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 14:07:00 +1000

The Tenants' Union is quite happy after the Residential Tenancy Amendment Bill passed the Tasmanian House of Assembly last evening after we secured some key last minute concessions. The Bill's last hurdle is to now get through the sometimes unpredictable Legislative Council.

The key sticking points for the Union were all associated with Housing Tasmania properties. The Greens Housing Minister, Cassy O'Connor, was firm in her commitment for continual income and assets test for Housing Tasmania tenancies and a right for Housing Tasmania to evict tenants who are away from their house for more than 8 weeks continuously. The Tenants' Union opposed both measures and sought the deletion of the clauses pertaining to them, but only succeeded in watering the measures down by making the income and assets tests more transparent and making the 8 week absence rule less strict.

The Tenants' Union will now seek meetings with Upper House members with the aim of securing passage of the Bill and scrapping the proposals discussed above.

More discussion on the Bill next week.

SPECIAL EDITION of Rent Rant - Tenants' Union Newsletter

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 14:09:00 +1000

Tenants' Union Support Bill But Want Changes

The TUT supports the Residential Tenancy Amendment Bill currently before Parliament, especially the introduction of minimum standards for Tasmanian residential tenancies. However, we do have several concerns with elements of the Bill that we would like to see amended or struck out. Of most concern are the following areas:

1. Income and Assets Tests for Social Housing

Philosophically, the TUT is a supporter of public housing and would like to see it as a universal housing provider which sets rents as a percentage of income rather than at market rates. This may mean that higher income tenants are able to ‘subsidise’ the rent of lower income tenants. This, along with our concern that suburbs with high unemployment will have even higher unemployment if working tenants are evicted from Housing Tasmania house in that area, means the TUT’s preferred outcome is to see all references to income and asset tests struck out.

If income and asset tests are to be included, the TUT recommends:

The tests to be consistent with community housing strategies such as the National Rental Affordability Scheme (NRAS)
Tests be indexed and limits dependent on household size
Clarification around who is subject to the test. At present the legislation refers to ‘tenant’ rather than ‘household’.

2. Eviction for Being Away from Social Housing for More Than 8 Weeks

The Bill proposes to allow eviction of a social housing tenant, with 14 days notice, under the following...

To read the full story, go to the special issue of Rent Rant, the Tenants' Union newsletter.

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 13:18:00 +1100

Bill Set for Parliament

Tasmania will be the first state or territory to have legislated minimum standards for residential tenancies if the Residential Tenancy Amendment Bill successfully passes both houses of Tasmanian Parliament.

While there were a few compromises and a few surprises upon release of the Bill last Wednesday, the Tenants' Union is reasonably happy with its content and believe that further negotiation can provide better legislation that will satisfy more parties.

To read the full story, go to the latest issue of Rent Rant, the Tenants' Union newsletter.

Mouldy Tenancy Shows We Need Standards Legislation Now

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 13:01:00 +1100

Click above to see ABC TV story about a tenant's fight to get out of a defective house full of mould.

Water and Sewerage Bills

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 14:48:00 +1100

It's water and sewerage bill time again and we've received an increase in calls on the subject.

Here's a Hobart Mercury story on the issue and here's the quick low down:

Tenants are not responsible for the whole bill, even if the lease agreement says that they are.
Water and sewerage bills should be sent to the landlord or agent not the tenant.
The landlord/agent may only pass on the metered component of the bill to the tenant.
The metered component can only be passed on to the tenant if it can be determined which property is consuming the water through the meter. That means a) it must only meter the tenant's property (not multiple properties) and b) if the tenant has not been at the property for the whole period of the bill there needs to be a meter reading when the tenant entered and/or when the tenant left.

If tenants need advice on this issue please contact us.

Tasmanian Fires - Tenant issues

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 12:30:00 +1100

To all those who have lost their homes due to fire, we express our deep sadness and sympathy.

Legally, tenants who are no longer able to live in the house because it has been destroyed are no longer required to continue the lease. For more information on this and other tenancy issues associated with the fires, Consumer Affairs and Fair Trading have put out this factsheet and web information.

Tenants affected by the fire may be eligible for an Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment and a Tasmanian Government Bushfire Grant.

Tenants requiring legal advice can contact us via our telephone advice line or face-to-face services (listed to the left of this message).

Christmas and New Year Services

Tue, 18 Dec 2012 14:57:00 +1100

Face to Face Advice in Hobart closes Thursday 20th December at 12.30 pm and reopens Tuesday 8th January at 9.30am.

Telephone Advice closes Friday 21st December at 12.30pm and reopens Wednesday 2nd January at 9.30am.

If you require tenancy advice during the break you can try Legal Aid on 1300 366 611, or for tenancy information try Consumer Affairs and Fair Trading on 1300 654 499.

Median Rent by Local Government Area

Tue, 27 Nov 2012 15:03:00 +1100

Click here to find out. You may be surprised.

Review of Tenants' Union Services

Wed, 14 Nov 2012 15:36:00 +1100

The Tenants' Union is conducting a review of its legal services in November, and is inviting tenants to tell us how we can improve. In particular, we are looking at:

Telephone advice
Advocacy and court representation
Community legal education
Our relationships with community organisations
Training of staff and residential tenancy workers

If you wish to make comment please contact us and if you wish to do so anonymously, you can send a letter to our postal address at 166 Macquarie St Hobart TAS 7000.

We greatly appreciate any constructive feedback.

Special Guest Lecture

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 14:21:00 +1100

With changes to Tasmania's main tenancy legislation ongoing, the Tenants' Union has asked Magnus Hammar, Secretary General of the International Union of Tenants to give us examples of what can be achieved through effective reform.

This forum will benefit tenants, housing workers, policy makers and anyone with an interest in improving housing conditions.

Tuesday 13th November
5pm for 5.15pm ('til 6pm)
50 & Better Centre (CWL Hall) - 108 Bathurst St., Hobart
Drinks and Nibbles Provided