Fears over new powers for Victorian landlords as Melbourne faces rental boom

VICTORIA’s housing squeeze has forced hundreds of thousands of people into rentals, whose housing security could be under threat by law changes which give landlords greater power.

Melbourne is now home to thousands of renters as the state’s housing squeeze continues. Picture: iStock

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VICTORIA’s housing squeeze has forced hundreds of thousands of people into rented properties as Melbourne’s suburbs face the biggest boom in rentals.

Advocates fear Victoria’s 1.5 million renters could become vulnerable to housing insecurity and even homelessness as new laws are considered.

More than 50 community leaders — including three mayors — have signed an open letter to Premier Daniel Andrews warning against potential changes to the Residential Tenancies Act that would give landlords greater power.

“You can’t make rented housing fairer and safer by making tenants rights worse,” Make Renting Fair Campaign spokesman Mark O’Brien said.

“The consequence is going to be more homelessness and we’ve seen a glimpse of that in the central business district — more people are sleeping rough.

YOU’RE NOT A LOSER IF YOU RENT

“The fewer options people have for stable housing, the more homeless and more people rough sleeping — it’s not rocket science.”

Census data shows a further 340,000 people have entered the rental market between 2006 and 2016.

And almost 90 per cent of the state has seen a rise in renters over the decade.

Melbourne areas have faced the biggest boom, as high as 9.7 per cent in Wyndham.

But many of the areas the highest rental rise also had some of the biggest drops in home ownership, including Wyndham, Moreland, Whittlesea, Hume and Monash local government areas.

A total 54 leaders from housing, health, legal and support groups, today released their open letter to Mr Andrews.

It raised concerns over potential laws that would make evictions faster and easier, introduce unfair lease terms, allow visits by owners or agents at any time, increase bond payments for pets and create greater restrictions on staying guests.

Giving landlords greater power could contribute to the number of homeless people on the street. Picture: Mark Wilson

RENTERS WARNED OVER NEW SCAM

Mr O’Brien said the signatories from leading groups feared any changes that could reduce tenants rights would get worse over time as more people enter the rental market.

“You’ve got more renters than ever before and they’re renting for longer than ever before,” he said.

“We’ll expect that pattern to continue in the next Census and the next Census.”

Minister for Consumer Affairs Marlene Kairouz said feedback from the Fairer Safer Housing options paper was being evaluated and new reforms would be introduced next year.

“We’re taking action to make renting more secure by developing long-term lease agreements and reviewing the Residential Tenancies Act to strengthen protections for tenants,” she said.

Read the Campaign’s letter to Mr Andrews at www.makerentingfair.org/media_openletter

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RISE IN RENTALS OVER A DECADE

Wyndham: +9.7%

Maribyrnong: +8.9%

Stonnington: +8.6%

Melbourne: +8.5

Moreland: +8.5

Monash: +7.3

Port Phillip: +7.1%

Whittlesea: +7%

Yarra: +6.9%

Hume: +6.9%

Greater Dandenong: +6.9%

Brimbank: +6.9%

Darebin: +6.8

ABS data on Local Government Areas between 2006 and 2016

Compiled by Make Renting Fair Campaign