Ahead of the debate in parliament today a coalition of community groups have written to the Premier calling for a commitment that greater protections will be provided to residential tenants.

On Thursday 30th April 2020 the Tasmanian Parliament will debate a Bill which will require commercial landlords to offer rent reductions proportionate to the tenant’s loss of trade. A coalition of groups have joined with us to demand that this be broadened to include residential tenancies. Below is a copy of the letter we sent […]

Earlier today we sent a letter to Premier Peter Gutwein calling for the implementation of two temporary measures to protect tenants and the wider community. Suspend all eviction proceedings before the Magistrates Court.  Make available additional financial support to residential tenants who are unable to work due to COVID-19. Find our letter to the premier below.

Since December 2014 the Tenants’ Union published quarterly rent statistics compiled from bond lodgement data collected by the Rental Deposit Authority (RDA). The data is based on information that landlords and tenants provide when lodging a bond with the RDA. A summary of the of the past 3 years – from September 2016 to September […]

Last week we appeared for a Senate Inquiry calling for the maximum rate of Commonwealth Rent Assistance be increased by a minimum of 30 per cent for all recipients with variation in increase above this minimum to take account of family or household type, as well as local housing market conditions and current rents. Find […]

The Tenants’ Union of Tasmania will hold its Annual General Meeting at 12.30pm on Thursday, 7th November 2019 at our offices in 166 Macquarie St, Hobart. The AGM is open to the public. Find our Annual Report for the financial year 2018/19 here.

Housing Tasmania has appealed the decision of Parsons v Director of Housing [2018] TASSC 82 which was handed down in early December 2018. The importance of the Parsons decision was the Supreme Court’s finding that, in effect, all public housing tenants have to be provided with the reasons for their eviction as well as being provided with an opportunity […]

The housing market is complex and a number of factors have contributed to Hobart’s vacancy rate having decreased dramatically over the past few years. As a result, the city recently toppled Sydney as the least affordable capital city in Australia relative to income.  Yet, there is now more than enough evidence to demonstrate that Airbnb has had a detrimental impact resulting in a significant loss of housing stock in Tasmania. A ban of Airbnb entire properties in Greater Hobart would almost […]

Judge says Housing Tasmania must give genuine and just reason for evicting tenants from public housing. Here’s our media release:

Earlier today, we appeared before Tasmania’s Upper House calling for urgent action to prioritise long-term tenants over short-term accommodation providers including Airbnb. A copy of the latest research was provided to members of the Select Committee including the fact that 40 per cent of rental stock in Glamorgan/Spring Bay Council, 17 per cent in Break O’Day […]