Pembroke candidate Allison Ritchie wants review into public housing rent setting

Deputy Clarence mayor Allison Ritchie, who is also running for Pembroke, wants a review of rent setting for Tasmanian public and community housing tenants. Here’s why.

Call for review into Tasmanian public and housing rent setting.

A review of rent setting for Tasmanian public and community housing tenants should be held, a Legislative Council candidate says.

Deputy Clarence mayor Allison Ritchie, who is standing as an independent in Pembroke, also wants better oversight of the maintenance of social housing stock.

She said the weekly rent for tenants in Tasmania was 25 per cent of their household income and 100 per cent of the rent assistance rebate if applicable.

“Any increases in income — such as an increase in Centrelink payments — results in an immediate rent increase for tenants,” Ms Ritchie said.

Allison Ritchie, deputy mayor Clarence City Council. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

“Many tenants on fixed incomes have complained that for every $10 received in a Centrelink increase, $6-$8 is automatically taken by Homes Tasmania or the community housing service provider and therefore drastically minimising any genuine cost of living relief.”

In Victoria, she said a household’s income was categorised as assessable or non-assessable income types and households receiving a rental rebate have their eligibility reassessed every six months.

“If a renter advises Homes Victoria of an increase to household income during a fixed rent period, the increase in the weekly payment amount would generally not occur until the start of the next fixed rent period.

“Homes Victoria can also apply a rental subsidy in certain circumstances to further reduce the weekly payment amount a renter pays.

“Clearly there is room for Tasmania to offer more supportive and equitable arrangements to tenants living in public and community housing.”

Ms Ritchie says many Tasmanians are worried about the lack of property maintenance in their community houses as borne out in a National Social Housing Survey in 2023

She said the majority of social housing in Tasmania, or 9393 homes, were now managed by community housing providers and while Homes Tasmania provided information on its dashboard, “the availability of data from those providing community housing data is severely deficient”.

“It is vital that open and transparent reporting on the performance of community housing service providers is available for tenants and the public, including regular reporting on the maintenance of all housing stock.”

A government spokesperson said that consistent with policies around Australia, Tasmanian tenants in social and community housing pay no more than 25 per cent of their assessable incomes in rent.

“The Tasmanian Government is currently delivering record investment in cost of living supports across the state, and will continue to be the strongest supporter of vulnerable Tasmanians,” he said.

Ms Ritchie’s call comes as the Tenants Union says that seven years after an housing summit the housing crisis has worsened with more people homeless and waiting for housing.