A word from our CEO

The sense of deja vu is strong as we enter 2022. A new strain of the coronavirus hovers on the horizon, spelling new uncertainties.

Many renters have felt the financial penalty brought on by close to two years of the pandemic and some are continuing to pay a price. As the peak body for renters, we have our ear to the ground through our legal centre tenancy work and community outreach. We will continue to speak up for renters facing hardship and disadvantage in unprecedented times.

A brighter spot this month included public recognition for our enhanced work with multicultural renter communities: we see this as essential capacity building, a need starkly highlighted by the public health lens. The ongoing pandemic reinforces the fact that safe, secure and affordable housing is, without doubt, a social determinant of our health.

Take care and stay safe over summer.

Jennifer Beveridge
CEO, Tenants Victoria

Our multicultural work recognised

Tenants Victoria’s extensive outreach to culturally diverse communities amid the pandemic has earned recognition at the annual Multicultural Awards for Excellence.

We've received a medal from the Victorian Multicultural Commission and been Highly Commended in the category of Excellence in Community Response and Recovery. Key to our work with financially hard-hit renters from multicultural backgrounds has been our community engagement workers’ proficiency in languages besides English - comprising Arabic, Dari/Farsi, Dinka, Mandarin, Cantonese and Malay.

'Our approach to renters from multicultural communities is intentionally grassroots and we’ve been building this work from the ground up. Liaison, so far, with more than 118 representative organisations has opened new doors for us to build trust and create much needed awareness of rental rights and supports,’ said Farah Farouque, Director of Community Engagement.

Read about all the recipients at the awards ceremony at the Government House on 7 December here.

Renters pursue legal action for repairs

The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) has seen the number of applications from renters for urgent repairs almost double over the past three years.

One of our expert lawyers, Katie Valenta, spoke to the Age on the issue, saying ‘Renters frequently tell us that they have been waiting for repairs to be completed for weeks, months, or even on occasion delays of years.’

Hurry! Apply for relief grant until Jan 16 

We know that many renters, especially those is some of the hardest hit industries such as hospitality and tourism, are continuing to feel the ongoing pressure from successive lockdowns.

The Victorian Government's rent relief grant worth up to $1500 is aiming to assist renters in Victoria experiencing financial hardship as a result of the pandemic. There are no citizenship or permanent residency requirements for applicants, and applications will close on January 16, 2022.

See our website for eligibility information.

Keeping cool in the summer heat

With summer heat waves come air conditioning failures.

If you live in a rental that has air-conditioning and it becomes faulty or ceases to work, you don’t necessarily have to sweat and bear it. Anything provided by the landlord in your home is their duty to maintain, not yours, and air-conditioning is an urgent repair under Victoria’s rental laws.

So, if it breaks down – call the agent or landlord ASAP and follow up with an email. See our website for more details.