Website proposed to dob in dodgy landlords
DODGY landlords may soon be outed by plans for a TripAdvisor-style website for rentals. But users could be charged for access.
A TENANTS group seeking to give renters a voice against dodgy landlords and rental properties may bill people for looking through its website.
The Tenants Union of Victoria yesterday launched an appeal for crowdsourced funding on website Pozible.com, seeking $30,000 from the public to create a TripAdvisor-style website for rental properties.
The site, dubbed Rate Your Rental, would use the hefty sum of donations to have the page built and maintained, but are also expecting to have a paid component to the website.
The proposal for the website suggests tenants will be able to rate a rental property based on the overall quality of the property, repairs, energy efficiency, as well as the presence of heating and airconditioning.
On the Pozible.com appeal page those donating more than $75 to the project have been promised “no charge to access or subscribe to the website for 36 months after launch of the Rate your Rental service”.
The appeal had attracted more than $1,500 in donations and 51 supporters less than 1.5 days after being launched. Seven had claimed the $75-plus reward.
TUV chief executive Mark O’Brien said they were not sure how a paid component would work for the site yet, but it was possible some of those donating upfront would pay again to use the website.
“If we impose charges some of the people who donate may be charged,” Mr O’Brien said.
“We think, in order to make it viable, we might need to do that (charge).”
He said charges would likely reflect the demands of the site for large amounts of data.
While the model is still being reviewed, and yet to achieve the necessary funding, Mr O’Brien said it was possible those contributing would not be charged for access to the site, while those merely browsing it may be.
He said the website had been something that tenants had been asking the TUV to provide.
“We are really trying to find a way to make it happen, tenant’s have said to us before that it would be really good to have something like this,” Mr O’Brien said.
But Barry Plant chief executive Mike McCarthy has warned the site would need to be balanced if it is created.
Barry Plant manages more than 28,500 rental properties, and is one of the largest real estate agencies in Victoria.
Mr McCarthy said such a website had the potential to offer better outcomes to tenants, landlords and property managers, if the ratings were “informative and objective”.
“On the flip side, I do think there is a potential danger for such ratings to be used as a forum for simply airing grievances with a landlord or property manager, which may be only one side of the story and not a balanced view of the property or the service received, which isn’t necessarily helpful to prospective tenants in evaluating whether a property is right for their needs,” Mr McCarthy said.
“Two way dialogue and right of reply is important if there is to be transparency around the process.”
His comments echo those of some people commenting on the Pozible.com web page.
The proposal has 60 days to achieve full funding.