Image: The Greens introduced a rent freeze bill to ease the rental stress of many in NSW. Photo: Domain.
By ABHA HAVAL
The Greens have introduced an emergency Rent Freeze bill to put a cap on skyrocketing rent increases and unnecessary evictions. Indications suggest the NSW Labor government will back the bill.
In an urgent bid to get rent under control, the Rent Freeze bill proposes to freeze rents as of 30 June 2023 in all residences, ensuring that the freeze is linked to the property and not individual tenancy agreements.
In addition to improving the rental crisis, implementing long-term reforms are much overdue to alleviate the stress on renters and provide them with the desperately needed security.
Member for Newtown and Greens spokesperson for Renters and Housing, Jenny Leong said, “rental affordability is at its worst.”
“There is a bill before the NSW Parliament right now that would put a stop on out-of-control rent increases and give renters urgent relief… We could have this in place within the month if the NSW Labor Government backed it in.”
“Every day the government stands in the way of action… is another day that a renter will face eviction because of an unfair rent hike they cannot afford,” Leong continued.
Long-term rent controls need proper legislation to ensure affordability
Leo Patterson Ross, the CEO of the Tenants’ Union of NSW, told City Hub, “when rent freezes are considered, they should be considered a way to ‘pause’ increases in rental prices while other strategies are put in place rather than as a permanent or long-term solution.”
“We acknowledge that the Greens bill to freeze rental prices is shining a much-needed spotlight on the issue. However, it is important that a number of measures are implemented to alleviate the immediate pressures faced by renters.”
“The feasibility of a rent freeze also depends on how it is legislated,” he said.
Leong concurred with this perspective, stating “any action on excessive rent increases need to include long-term rent controls to ensure we are bringing down the record-high rent costs and actually making renting affordable.”
“Dealing with rent increases isn’t a data or information sharing exercise – renters know when their rent increase is excessive, what they need is clear limits on what rent increases can be,” said Leong.
Sydney crowned most expensive in Australia
According to Domain’s June 2023 Rental Report, Sydney has assumed pole position as the nation’s most expensive city for the first time since 2018. The median rent for houses surged 6.1% and units 8.1% in the last quarter. This represented the second-fastest quarterly increase in the city’s history.
Leong said, “Sydney is now the most expensive city in the country to rent, more and more people are experiencing rental stress, and there is dire shortage of affordable rentals.”
“The Greens want to make unlimited rent increases illegal, establish rent caps, and put hard limits on the amount and frequency of rent increase,” she continued.
Referring to the release of a rental reform consultation paper by the Minns government on Friday last week, Leong stated, “a consultation paper won’t pay the rent, and renters are in crisis right now. We need to freeze on rent as long as these reforms take to be considered.”
Renters facing difficulties in securing affordable homes
Anders, a resident of Canley Heights said, “I had to make some adjustments… I tried to find a place within my budget and it is quite difficult especially location wise.”
“The rent increase did not affect me for a while… although I found the conditions of that place really difficult. Since the rental market was increasingly going up, I just put up with the place.”
“I did have to find a place that was on the higher side, and it took a lot of my time especially as a student to find a place with the proper rent.”
Anders expressed support for the rent freeze bill. “The rent freeze will bring relief to a lot of renters, especially the ones with lower socio-economic status.”
Another resident in Sydney city area, Erin, told City Hub that she too faced difficulty in finding accommodation to rent.
“I only found two places, and they were booked immediately… I was really stressed out. I hoped the hike in rent was temporary and [I] was willing to pay way more than necessary for a 6-month lease.”
“I think a rent freeze with a rent cap will absolutely bring some relief to the renters.”
Leong said, “Across the country, the Greens are standing with renters and pushing state and federal governments to go further and faster on rental reforms.”
“The Greens are clear. We want to put a stop on the profits the big investors are reaping from the housing crisis and pass laws to make renting secure and affordable.”
