A word from our CEO

Not a day goes by these days without a damning report or media story about the hardships renters are facing to secure an affordable home. Yesterday it was Anglicare confirming that less than 1% of advertised rentals are affordable for people on income support. Renters on the minimum wage are also facing pressure.

This issue is now hitting people who would be considered in the 'middle'. But the worse off, however, remain the renters experiencing financial hardship, including pensioners, those on disability support payments and unemployed people. 

These are the people in our community who need an urgent increase in the Commonwealth Rent Assistance subsidy as a targeted response to help them maintain a roof over the heads. Much more also needs to be done.

As we face a federal election, the next government must tackle the policy challenge of housing affordability for renters. We can’t be content as a community with a stagnant status quo that fuels homelessness.

Jennifer Beveridge 
CEO, Tenants Victoria

Challenging rent increases

We know that the cost of living is biting renters hard - especially the cost of essentials such as housing. If you think a proposed rent increase is too high, you can apply to Consumer Affairs Victoria to challenge it - this is an entirely free service. 

Language guides launched

We have launched 3 'hot topic' guides for renters written in Arabic, Simplified Chinese and Dari/Farsi for people from multicultural communities in need of more accessible tenancy information in widely spoken community languages.

• Arabic - Renting Guide
• Simplified Chinese - Renting Guide
• Dari - Renting Guide

'These translated resources stem from grassroots work done by Tenants Victoria’s team of multilingual workers and are part of our considered outreach to renters who speak languages other than English at home,’ says Farah Farouque, Director of Community Engagement.  

Multicultural forum

We've partnered with the Victorian Multicultural Commission to host a series of informative online forums on renters' rights. Guided by Tenants Victoria’s expert lawyer Ben Cording, the topics for our upcoming May session include:

• Rights in different types of rented accommodation
• How to minimise your costs if you break your lease
• How to challenge a rent increase
• How to get your bond back

Ben will discuss these topics and more - and answer common questions with an understanding of the needs of renters whose first language is not English, or people living in Victoria who have recently arrived from overseas and rent a home.

Pets in your rental

Do you want a pet in your rented home? There's a process you need to follow to apply for a pet.

Tell us your story

Has the landlord hiked your rent? Is it extra challenging right now to find an affordable new rental home for you and your family in the right area? Are the pandemic’s financial impacts making it harder to pay rent and other costs?

Share your story via our story form. We will treat your personal details confidentially.