[Greens-Media] FW: MEDIA RELEASE: A Bleak Future for NSW Renters

[Jenny Leong]

MEDIA RELEASE - 7 July 2016
>From the Member for Balmain Jamie Parker

A Bleak Future for NSW Renters



The NSW Fair Trading Statutory Review of the Residential Tenancies Act 2010<http://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/biz_res/ftweb/pdfs/About_us/Have_your_say/Residential_tenancies_act_2010_review_report.pdf> signals a bleak future ahead for NSW renters.



The Review comes in response to the 210 public submissions that suggested improvements to NSW rental laws.



Member for Balmain Jamie Parker said:



"Renters in Sydney and across NSW are facing immense stress due to sky-rocketing rents and a complete lack of any long-term security.



"More people are renting now than ever before, and for longer.  This significant change in the renting landscape means that the government needs to modernise our rental laws.



"Many renters have no idea of where they will be living from year to year. Families with children are the largest category of households currently living in the private rental market and they face the added stress of having to move out of their local school boundaries when their lease expires.



"The NSW Government has an opportunity to improve rental laws to provide more security for renters. But instead the Liberals will continue to allow shonky landlords to use threats of eviction to shirk their responsibilities.



"The best way to provide renters with greater security is to change laws that let landlords evict tenants without a genuine reason, even when the tenants are paying their rent and living up to their responsibilities.



"We've heard from lots of renters that they are too scared to ask for repairs and maintenance, in case they get thrown out at the end of their lease.



"Tenants should be able to enforce their right to reasonable maintenance without fear of being evicted in response.



Further information - 0499 550 996



Dan Buhagiar
Office of Jenny Leong, Member for Newtown
383 King Street, Newtown NSW 2042
Phone: 02 9517 2800 | Fax: 02 9517 2200 | Media: 0499 550 996
Website<http://www.jennyleong.org/> | Facebook<https://facebook.com/greens.jennyleong> | Twitter<https://twitter.com/jennyleong>

Our office is on the land of the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We acknowledge their ownership of this land and pay our respects to past, present and emerging elders.

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