Tenancy Policy Update

Committee/Organisational Involvement

• Shelter WA - as Vice-Chairperson of the Executive Committee.
• National Association of Tenant Organisations (NATO) - as WA's delegate;
• Housing Advisory Committee (HAC) to the State Minister for Housing as a Ministerially appointed community representative.
• Rental Operations Policy Sub-Committee (of HAC) - as a member.
• Commonwealth State Housing Agreement Sub-Committee (of HAC) - as a member.
• Tenancy Action Coalition (TAC) - as a member.
• Homeswest Redevelopment Working Party - as a member.
• WACOSS Poverty Commission - Housing Research Project Steering Committee - as a member.
• Australian Social and Economic Rights Project Working Party - as a member and contributor.
• Homeswest Appeals Mechanism Review Working Party - as a consumer representative.
• Homeswest Refurbishment Program Working Party - as a HAC appointed member.

NEW Tenancy Law Working Party

TAS recently met with tenancy service workers to discuss the Review of the Residential Tenancies Act that may occur in late 2000 as per section 90 of the RTA. The meeting agreed to establish a tenancy law working party to prepare for the review of the Act as well as to promote tenancy law issues and seek reforms for tenants on an ongoing basis. Anyone interested in joining the working party or feeding issues in can contact Pauline Logan at TAS.

Current Policy Work

Current policy issues being monitored and or advocated about by TAS include:

Tenant Databases - TAS is continuing to lobby for stronger protections for tenants and the regulation of databases via Privacy legislation through NATO.

Goods and Services Tax (GST) - TAS is continuing to monitor GST arrangements for caravan park tenants and boarders and lodgers and to argue that these tenants not be charged a GST if their accommodation is their principle or only place of residence. TAS will also be monitoring the effect of GST on rents and the adequacy of Government compensation packages (through rent assistance) to low income private renters. We are keen to check whether landlords pass on their increased costs on to tenants as a result of GST of maintenance and other goods or service costs (as we believe they will) and whether the rent increases exceed the government predicted 2.3%.

Ministry of Housing (Homeswest) Policy and Practice - Homeswest is examining its rent charging practices after TAS raised concerns about Homeswest charging some tenants more than two weeks rent in advance at the commencement of a tenancy. Homeswest has also agreed to incorporate proposals to improve its fixed term tenancy management following a submission by TAS and other HAC members. TAS has also provided recommendations to Homeswest to improve its Refurbishment policy where tenants are asked to temporarily vacate to allow refurbishment to be completed.

Expansion to Bond Assistance - TAS has urged an expansion to the Bond Assistance Program be included in the draft Bi-lateral Agreement being developed by the State and Commonwealth as part of Commonwealth State Housing Agreement negotiations. Indications at this stage are that the Agreement is to include an expansion to the Program.

Contact Pauline Logan at TAS for more details on any of TAS policy and representation work.