With today’s release of the latest Rental Affordability Index, NSW Greens Housing spokesperson Jenny Leong MP, called for an urgent response from the government to the rental crisis.

“This latest report again confirms that we are experiencing an alarming crisis in housing which has to be addressed by the Liberal National NSW government. 

Greens NSW Housing Spokesperson Jenny Leong MP has committed to stand up for the one third of people in NSW who rent and work to put an end to  mass eviction threats by billionaire developers like Harry Triguboff.

"People are already living with such fear and insecurity as a result of the current rental housing crisis - it's not just arrogant it's shockingly irresponsible for anyone to threaten mass evictions as Mr Triguboff has done."

Responding to a welcome change in policy by the NSW Labor Opposition today, NSW Greens Rental and Tenancy spokesperson has renewed calls for the Government to put an end to no grounds evictions as a priority.

"We know that with holiday season fast approaching that thousands of families will be evicted from their rental home so that greedy landlords can cash in over the holiday period," Ms Leong said.

Read our statement in Parliament supporting the Make Rent Fair Campaign. 

Broadcast on ABC Sydney Drive, June 19, 2017 [starts at 2 hours, 28 minutes, 30 seconds into the program]

Jenny joined a panel on the Monday Political Forum on ABC Sydney Drive discussing key issues prior to the announcement of the 2017 State Budget.

Topics covered included train accessibility, housing affordability and homelessness, renter's rights, lock out laws and late night transport options, cycle paths and safety. 

Rental properties are people’s homes – but too often they are used as a way for dodgy landlords to maximise their returns, at the expense of people’s security and safety.

This needs to change – we need to balance the rights of renters with the interests of landlords. Both landlords and tenants benefit from stability and certainty.

Take the pledge! Support improving rights for people who rent.

According to 2016 Census data, around one-third of NSW households live in rented properties.

Find out more about how you can help us improve and modernise NSW rental laws at rentersrights.org.au

We know that being a renter, dealing with the challenges around finding a place to rent, putting in requests for maintenance and coping with the threat of constantly having to move, all have a serious impact on the well-being of people, families and communities.

The Greens are working to:

• Increase security of tenure by ending 'no grounds' evictions
• Allow rent increases only once per year
• Allow annual rent increases at no more than CPI (around 2-3% per year)

The NSW Residential Tenancies Act will be reviewed in 2018, bringing an opportunity for real reform of NSW rental laws. The Greens want to make sure the voices of people who rent their homes are heard.

You can read The Greens' submission to the Discussion Paper on the Review of the Residential Tenancies Act here.

NSW rental laws need to be considered in the context of the housing affordability crisis that's affecting many Australian households. Rising housing costs are placing immense stress on many households, forcing people to move away from their networks and communities, and giving many people no choice but to put up with substandard accommodation.

Changes also need to be made at a Federal level to address our national housing crisis. The Australian Greens have released initiatives to end Capital Gains Tax discounts and reform negative gearing. We need to change the current unfair tax laws that have locked entire generations of Australians out of home ownership and affordable, stable rents.

Many renters recently told us their 'Rental Horror Stories', painting a bleak picture of on-going issues with lack of maintenance, unfair rent increases, and inevitable eviction at the end of a lease if they spoke up to enforce their rights. These stories - and the issues they raise about security, rights and responsibilities - have been covered by a range of media outlets, including The Guardian and ABC News Breakfast.

The Greens are calling for reform that allows renters to enforce their legal rights without fear of repercussions, ensures that renting is affordable and offers more security to renters.

Further reading:

• NSW Fair Trading - Statutory Review of the Residential Tenancies Act (June 2016)
• NSW Parliamentary Research Paper - Private rental housing and security of tenure (October 2015)
• Tenants Union of NSW - 5 Years of the Residential Tenancies Act 2010 in NSW (July 2015)
• The Australian Greens - Renters Rights

NSW Greens Housing spokesperson, Jenny Leong MP says that ending ‘no grounds’ evictions in NSW is a simple reform that will provide much needed security for renters in Newcastle, Port Stephens, the Hunter and across the state.

The Greens are kicking off a campaign to end ‘no grounds’ evictions with the launch of the rentersrights.org.au website.

“Many renters live in fear of being thrown out of their home, even when they pay rent on time and look after the property.  These laws are unfair and out of date,” Ms Leong said.

NSW Greens spokesperson for Housing Jenny Leong MP says that the NSW Government must consider the needs of the growing number of tenants facing lifelong renting as they address the housing affordability crisis.

“The reason that affordable housing is so essential is that it provides people on moderate incomes with a safe and secure place to live. That security should also be extended to renters and there’s a simple and immediate way to do that – by ending ‘no grounds’ evictions,” says Ms Leong.

In response to the “Unsettled: Life in Australia's private rental market” report released today, NSW Greens spokesperson on Housing Jenny Leong MP gave notice of a motion in the NSW Parliament calling for an end to ‘no grounds’ evictions in the state.

The report, a national study co-authored by Australian consumer advocacy group CHOICE, the National Association of Tenants' Organisations and National Shelter, shows that tenants across Australia are living in a climate of fear, due to insecurity around their tenure.