Latest news with #LeoPattersonRoss
Epoch Times
19-05-2025
- Business
- Epoch Times
NSW Rental Laws Take Effect: No-Grounds Evictions Ended, Pet Rules Eased
Millions of renters across New South Wales (NSW) will gain stronger protections under new reforms that end no-grounds evictions, and force landlords to accept pets. Landlords will now be required to provide a valid reason to terminate a lease—such as a property sale, major renovations, the landlord moving in, or a breach by the tenant. Termination notices must include evidence, with penalties applying if landlords provide false or misleading reasons. 'Renters have been the forgotten people in NSW for too long and that ends now,' said Premier Chris Minns as the Residential Tenancies Amendment Act 2024, came into effect. 'This brings the rental market into the 21st century. These are sensible reforms. With more than 2 million renters in NSW and over 600,000 investors, we have taken the time to get these major changes right.' Chris Minns, premier of New South Wales attending an Australia Day event in Sydney, Australia on Jan. 26, Notice Periods For fixed-term leases, the notice period for ending a tenancy will increase to 60 days for leases six months or shorter, and 90 days for those longer than six months. Related Stories 3/24/2025 12/11/2024 Periodic agreements remain under existing notice rules. The aim is to give tenants more time to find new housing in a tight and expensive rental market. Tenants' Union CEO Leo Patterson Ross called the changes historic. 'The end to no-grounds evictions is the single most significant change to residential tenancy law. Millions of renters have felt the impact—whether it was hesitating to ask for repairs or having to find a new home without justification.' NSW Greens housing spokesperson Jenny Leong credited activists for pushing the government to act. 'These changes start to correct the power imbalance between landlords and renters. Credit belongs to all the organisations and activists who've dragged the government kicking and screaming to these reforms.' Pets Now Allowed With Conditions The laws also make it easier for tenants to have pets. Landlords can no longer impose blanket bans and may only refuse a pet request for limited, specific reasons, such as property suitability, risk of damage, or legal restrictions. If landlords don't respond within 21 days, the request is automatically approved. 'Renters shouldn't have to choose between a place to live and keeping their companion animal,' said Housing Minister Rose Jackson. 'These changes put common sense into the rental system and end the blanket ban on pets.' Landlords must now also offer fee-free rent payment methods such as direct bank transfers. NSW joins Victoria, South Australia and the ACT in banning no-grounds evictions entirely, while Queensland and Tasmania restrict them only for fixed-term leases. Property Sector Warns Landlords Will Need to Adapt Real estate professionals say the new legal framework in NSW will require landlords to be more cautious and informed when ending leases. 'For landlords, ultimately this change will require careful planning and an acute understanding of what constitutes legitimate grounds for ending a tenancy to avoid potential penalties and disputes. So, it's natural to feel overwhelmed or concerned by these developments,' said Shead, a NSW-based property agency. The Real Estate Institute of NSW (REINSW) previously warned such legislation could erode landlords' rights and incentives, meaning less homes available for rent, citing other jurisdictions. New Zealand's 2021 ban on 'no grounds' evictions drastically reduced rental supply, prompting the introduction of a bill to restore landlords' rights to reclaim possession of their properties. 'The removal of landlords' rights under the guise of populist rental reforms has had a clear negative impact on renters,' said REINSW CEO Tim McKibbin in a statement. He said the best solution for the rental crisis was to increase supply. 'This means new development, eradicating planning delays, and making it attractive to investors to invest in residential property.' AAP contributed to the article.
ABC News
19-05-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Laws ending no fault evictions come into effect in NSW
Skip to main content 33m ago 33 minutes ago Mon 19 May 2025 at 2:43am Leo Patterson Ross, the CEO of the Tenants' Union of NSW, say the new rental laws will make a positive difference, but still leave loopholes for landlords.
Daily Mail
24-04-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Shocked Aussies react to landlord's 'insane' request: 'Never seen this'
Aussies renting a property in an idyllic coastal getaway would be required to vacate the home for up to a month if their landlord wanted to stay. The landlord is currently looking for a tenant to rent their 'fabulous' two-bedroom apartment in Nelson Bay, two-and-a-half hours north of Sydney, for $380-a-week. Potential renters would enjoy an 'amazing third level view of the ocean overlooking Nelson Bay with a massive balcony and living area'. But, they would only be able to reside in the home 85 per cent of the time and would be required to leave when the landlord fancied a getaway. 'You will be expected to vacate the property so the owner can use the apartment for her sole use about 15 per cent of the time, about 30 days over six months, mainly Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights,' the listing states. The listing went on to say 'owner is a working professional from Sydney who loves this weekender to come to when time permits'. Aussies were left stunned by the landlord's proposal. 'I'd like to think with such an insane condition that it's really cheap, but I bet the type of person that asks for this still has the gall to ask for heaps of money too,' one said. 'I can't imagine anyone agreeing to that disruption, unless there was a house-swap going on so the renter could stay in the owner's place in Sydney.' CEO of the Tenants' Union of New South Wales, Leo Patterson Ross, told Daily Mail Australia on Thursday the landlord wasn't complying with the rules. 'This practice isn't permitted under the Residential Tenancies Act 2010 and is likely to lead to disputes with confusion and frustration around the actual usage,' he said. 'We need listings sites like (which is owned by the REA group) to ensure listings are compliant with relevant laws and this may require regulation of the sector from Fair Trading NSW.' The $380-a-week rent does not cover internet or bills. The property, which requires tenants to sign a minimum three-month lease is about 500metres from Nelson Bay. Some Aussies said the landlord would likely find a tenant to agree to the inconvenient conditions due to Australia's crippling housing market. 'Accommodation is stupidly scarce at the bay. I've no doubt this person will get someone to agree to this. It's really gotten way too out of hand,' one wrote. 'I've actually never seen this. Can you imagine having to leave your house... and the landlord sleeps in your bed,' another said.
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Controversy over $280 Centrelink cash boost for struggling pensioners 'set to get worse'
Significant concerns have been raised about the number of retired Australians struggling in their twilight years as they rent. The Grattan Institute has found two in three older renters - like pensioner Debra Basham - are living in poverty, with the crisis "set to get worse" if the issue isn't addressed. The 67-year-old has missed meals as she doesn't have enough money to cover her bills and feels in a constant state of "struggle". The Grattan Institute has called for another increase to Commonwealth Rent Assistance (CRA),which last went up in September. However, NSW Tenants Union CEO Leo Patterson Ross told Yahoo Finance another cash boost won't solve the problem if wider issues in the rental market are not tackled. "Unless you do something about rent prices, you're always chasing increasing rents," he said. "A 10 per cent increase in Rent Assistance is kind of helpful, but if rent went up 20 per cent, you're still behind. "You also have to be already receiving Centrelink payments and already be in a home to be eligible. So, that means there's a whole bunch of people who should be getting more support but aren't." RELATED Cash warning for 4.2 million retirees over impending RBA interest rate cut Rare $1 coin worth up to $350: 'Lucky to find one' NAB, Commonwealth Bank cut term deposit interest rates in warning signal for Aussies: 'Act quickly' More than 165,000 Australians aged between 55-64 receive Commonwealth Rent Assistance. Rent has risen dramatically across all capital cities over the last four years, according to Domain. Weekly rent in Sydney has risen by up to $540, in Brisbane it's gone up by $410, while Perth has seen a $390 jump. While this has stabilised, experts have said prices are not set to drop. The CRA last increased in September by 10 per cent thanks to a measure contained in the 2024-25 Federal Budget, which gave single people between $12 to $19 extra per fortnight. The issue for pensioners is that those who take the Centrelink payment have faced an increase in rent of 1.5 times the maximum CRA payment rate since 2001, the Grattan report found."Even after these increases, a single retiree who relies solely on income support can afford to rent just 4 per cent of one-bedroom homes in Sydney, 13 per cent in Brisbane, and 14 per cent in Melbourne," it said. "Australia is failing too many retirees who rent. Only a further substantial boost to Rent Assistance can ensure that all Australians get the dignified retirement they deserve." Ross told Yahoo Finance that 10-15 per cent increases are nowhere near enough. "Most of the calls from the community and from Grattan are at more like the 40 to 50 per cent level. And so there's definitely scope for rent assistance to rise to that level," he said. Boosting CRA by up by 50 per cent would take the maximum rate up by $53 per week or $2,750 per year for singles, and $40 per week or $2,080 per year for couples. Grattan said this would allow retirees to afford up to $350 per week on rent, while retired couples could afford $390 per week, which would be enough to rent the cheapest 25 per cent of all one or two-bedroom homes in Aussie capital cities. These increases, which would also help everyone on CRA, not just retirees, would cost taxpayers $2 billion per year. The housing crisis in Australia has forced many Australians to rent as they can not afford their mortgage in retirement, or could not get into the market at all. Women aged over 55 are of particular risk of homelessness in Australia, with many in precarious rental situations. Some have lost their family home in separation after being primary carers for children, diminishing their earning and ability to build a superannuation nest egg. Basham retired from her job as a cleaner last year and has since found it difficult to cover her bills. "You just struggle," she told The Project. "I've got animals, I feed them first, and if I've got nothing left, then I go without. "If I've got a slice of bread, I'll just have a slice of bread for tea." National Seniors Association CEO, Chris Grice, told Yahoo Finance that too many retirees are facing uncertain futures due to this trend. 'Housing security and affordability is a huge concern for many older Australians, with an increasing number of older people unable to afford their own home and relying on the precarious and competitive rental market," he said. The association is not only calling for the rate of CRA to be lifted but for its indexation to be tied to changes in rental prices, rather than overall inflation. The CRA program is only accessible to Australians receiving the following social security payments: ABSTUDY - Living Allowance Age Pension Austudy Farm Household Allowance JobSeeker Payment Special Benefit Youth Allowance To be eligible for assistance, you need to meet minimum rent payment requirements. Situations also change depending on how many people you live with and if you have any dependants. The maximum fortnightly payment for a single person living alone is $188.20 every two weeks, or $125.47 for a single person in a share house. You can find the requirements in to access your portfolio
