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NSW State Election 2023 - NCOSS Policy Priority 3

Make renting more secure and affordable

Renters are the fastest growing tenure type in Australia and low income renters are the most at risk, especially when disasters occur. Across NSW, rental increases and the rising cost of living have placed even more stress on households and increased the risk of homelessness for many.

NCOSS recommendations

NCOSS calls on the next NSW Parliament to -

  • Replace no-grounds evictions in the current NSW tenancy law with a range of specified reasonable grounds.
  • Where tenants are evicted for reasons other than a breach, introduce provisions requiring compensation for moving costs by the landlord.
  • Introduce a permanent hardship framework to support renters maintain their tenancy and avoid eviction.
  • Consider the feasibility of a mandatory landlord insurance scheme and/or landlord rental bond scheme to cover the cost of hardship provisions such as rent reductions.

Coalition - NSW Liberal Party and NSW Nationals

Have committed to -

  • Removing no-grounds evictions in favour of a reasonable grounds model for periodic tenancies.
  • Extending notice periods for the end of fixed term leases from 30 days to 45 days.
  • Introducing optional longer lease agreements of three or five years.
  • Introducing a portable bond scheme and
  • Regulating data collection from renters.

The Greens NSW

Have committed to -

  • Legislate to ensure no-one is evicted into homelessness.
  • Require at least 30% affordable housing in all new private developments.
  • https://greens.org.au/nsw/actionplantoendhomelessness
  • Immediately introduce a rent freeze and get rents back under control.
  • End unfair no grounds evictions.
  • Introduce better minimum standards in rental accommodation including making it mould and damp-free, with ceiling insulation, heating, roof venting and waterproofing with compulsory energy efficiency standards, and internet access.
  • Strengthen the rights of tenants to enable long term leases.
  • Strictly regulate tenancy databases and lease applications, and ban third party platforms and rent bidding.
  • Allow people to transfer their bonds directly from one property to another.
  • Let renters have pets - so it’s their choice not the landlords.
  • Include internet access in all rental properties.
  • Ensure adequate penalties for  landlords who breach their responsibilities to tenants.
  • https://greens.org.au/nsw/makehousingaffordable2023

NSW Labor

Have committed to -

  • Make renting fairer with the appointment of a Rental Commissioner who
    will be an advocate and voice for renters.
  • Protect renters from unfair evictions by tasking the Rental Commissioner with creating reasonable grounds for ending a lease.
  • Ban secret rent bidding meaning that rental transactions will be open and transparent.
  • Streamline the rental bond process to allow renters to directly transfer bonds from one property to another, while ensuring owners still have access to funds they may need.
  • https://freshstartplan.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/labors_fresh_start_plan.pdf

Published February 2023. For reference and context, please visit NCOSS Policy Tracker 2023 and NCOSS Policy Platform 2023: Working Together for a Fairer NSW.

Queries about this page to: advocacy@ncoss.org.au