It's time to Make Renting Fair in NSW

We’ve known for a long time that the renting system does not meet the needs of the more than 1 in 3 households who rent in NSW. For far too long the renting system in NSW has been unfair.

The COVID-19 pandemic and associated housing crisis have shone a bright light on how broken our renting system is, and the need for change.

The NSW Government has not acted decisively enough to protect renters from the worst of the pandemic and the broader housing crisis. This has meant too many landlords, particularly across regional NSW, are hiking up rents far beyond what is affordable to the community. Many landlords are evicting renters who can’t afford higher rents – exploiting ‘no grounds’ terminations to evict impacted renters even during moratorium periods. Too many real estate agents are organising non essential inspections of rented homes, putting everyone’s safety at risk during the peak of the pandemic.

The NSW renting system doesn’t have to be this way. There are a number of easy and effective changes the NSW Government could implement today to Make Renting Fair. Changes like ending 'no grounds' evictions, legislating minimum standards in rental homes, and more.

We want to see a renting system where:
• All renters can afford to pay their rent without worrying that it will mean they go without other life essentials.
• All renters can live without the threat of being evicted from their home at any time.
• All renters can make simple choices - like whether or not to have pets, or to hang pictures on the wall - to make the house they live in a home.
• All renters can live in a safe, healthy home that meets their accessibility needs.