Darwin Community Legal Service calls for 10 rental reforms

Territorians continue to feel the heat of one of the most “severe housing crises in history”, with a Darwin law firm calling for 10 renters’ reforms.

The Territory is home to one of the worst housing crises in history.

Territorians continue to feel the heat of one of the most “severe housing crises in history”, with a Darwin law firm calling for 10 renters’ reforms.

A Darwin Community Legal Service spokesperson said Monday’s International Tenants Day theme was “strengthening democracy and housing rights”, emphasising the “vital role of tenant organisations”.

The spokesperson said the Territory’s housing insecurity was exacerbated by national cost-of-living pressures but organisations such as DCLS’s Tenants' Advice Service were lifelines.

“In the 12 months to 30 June 2024, TAS saw nearly 600 clients with more than 15 per cent of those clients having issues with their bond,” they said.

“From our findings, we know that most renters – 76 per cent – who completed our survey had experienced repair issues while renting and 47 per cent of those had requested emergency repairs that were not carried out within the legislative time frame.

“(40 per cent of) renters are too scared to report an issue out of fear of eviction or receiving a bad reference.”

Some of the reforms the Tenants’ Advice Service is calling for include an independent NT Bond Board, minimum rental standards, and increased landlord and real estate agent transparency.

It comes after Better Renting’s national survey revealed the NT was one of the worst places for rental protections in the country.

Executive director Joel Dignam in June said the NT was “a bit of a basket case” as the only jurisdiction without specific minimum standards for rental properties.

Originally published as Darwin Community Legal Service calls for 10 rental reforms