A word from our CEO

As we enter a disruptive third year of the pandemic, a key focus for Tenants Victoria is to ensure renters’ interests are at the centre of government decision making. 

With state and federal elections pending this year, there is real opportunity to address long term deficits relating to housing affordability from the perspective of a growing demographic of renters. Provision of safe, secure and affordable housing in the 21st century can’t be simply seen through the lens of home ownership. 

In this context, the interim report from Victoria’s independent Social Housing Regulation Review offers a solid blueprint for reform, with recommendations including having a single regulator for government and not-for-profit landlords in our state.

The review, to date, has received 80 formal submissions and, importantly, feedback from over 2000 social housing tenants and workers. We hope 2022 will bring action on the concerns raised.

Jennifer Beveridge 
CEO, Tenants Victoria

Q&A: Renting in Omicron

A common question we’ve been asked during the Omicron wave relates to rules on privacy and entry into a rented home, for example for conducting routine inspections.

While there are no longer specific COVID restrictions for renting and so inspections and tradie visits are permitted, you do have general protections under the Residential Tenancies Act. So a text message or casual email notifying you about an inspection simply won’t suffice. There are processes that must be followed.

Check out our new Facebook Q&A  with lawyer Georga Wootton and our Director of Community Engagement  Farah Farouque where we tackle this hot rental topic - and more. 

Social housing report out now

The independent review of our state’s social housing system for the Victorian Government has released an interim report with many considered findings. The report calls for a single regulator for social housing, new standards, including fire safety and minimum property standards, and an independent complaints body for renters. Social housing includes public housing, managed by the state government, and community housing, managed by not-for-profit organisations.

We urge everyone who is concerned about the affordable housing crisis for renters experiencing hardship and disadvantage to read and and comment on the report on the government’s Engage Victoria website.

Media focus: social housing

It was affirming to hear the Conversation Hour presenter Richelle Hunt mention last week on ABC radio that she lived in social housing when she was growing up, and how important it was for her and her family to have that safe, secure and affordable home.

Listen to the useful discussion which she co-presented about the big topic of social housing in Victoria, featuring tenants voices and experts including David Hayward, head of the independent review for the Victorian Government on social housing.

Catch up with the program here.

Keeping cool

It’s been a hot and muggy few weeks. 

If you have air-conditioning in your rental home and it's faulty or stops working you don’t have to sweat and bear it. Anything provided by the landlord in your home must be maintained, and repaired if necessary. So, repairing and maintaining an air-conditioner is the landlord’s duty - not yours.

A failure or breakdown of air-conditioning is also classed an urgent repair under Victoria’s rental laws. Learn more