KINGSTON Council is joining a campaign calling on the state government to give renters “greater stability and protection”.
Mayor Cr Steve Staikos said many renters face “unfair treatment” from landlords and insecure short-term leases.
“More than 12,600 households in Kingston are rental households with 800 of them experiencing extreme rental stress with more than 50 per cent of their income spent on rent,” Cr Staikos said.
“Housing affordability in Kingston is set to worsen and there is a real shortage of affordable homes in the area.”
Councillors have unanimously agreed to back Tenants Victoria’s “Make Renting Fair” campaign, supported by more than 60 community groups and councils across the state.
“The Victorian government is currently reviewing the Residential Tenancies Act, which controls safety, security and privacy for 1.2 million people across the state,” Cr Staikos said.
“We will be writing to the Minister for Consumer Affairs Marlene Kairouz urging her to make rental laws fairer by scrapping ‘no reason’ eviction notices, introducing minimum property standards, and a number of other measures.
“Unfortunately, those who are hit hardest by unfair rental laws are often those who are already facing disadvantage, including those who have experienced homelessness, people living with mental illness or a disability, older people and low-income households.”
First published in the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News – 2 May 2018
