The ACT Greens have today announced a range of rental reforms that will go further and faster to ensure that every Canberran has access to a safe, secure and affordable home.
"Housing is a human right. Every Canberran deserves a safe, affordable and comfortable place to live - whether they are a homeowner or a renter," said ACT Greens Leader, Shane Rattenbury.
"Right now, more people than ever are struggling to put a roof over their head. We are in a housing crisis - rents are among the highest in the country and house prices are out of reach for many Canberrans.
"In March 2023, a report from Anglicare Australia showed that none of the properties listed as available in the ACT were affordable and appropriate for essential workers.
"For decades, Labor and the Liberals have used tax breaks to rig the housing market in a way that builds wealth rather than providing safe and secure places to live.
"That's why the ACT Greens have a plan to reform the system to address the significant power imbalance that exists between landlords and renters and ensure that every Canberran has a safe and affordable place to live.
"As part of our plan, the ACT Greens will establish an independent Rental Commissioner to provide a timely and targeted service to resolve rental questions and disputes, and attempt to resolve issues outside of the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
"Importantly, the Commissioner will be empowered to enforce rental laws and issue fines. This will ensure renters' rights are protected, without relying on renters to pursue matters themselves through a tribunal - a process that can be prohibitively costly, stressful and intimidating for renters.
"The ACT Greens will also implement a two-year rent freeze and a subsequent fixed rent cap of 2% of the existing rent. A rent freeze will provide a much needed circuit-breaker for the many renters who are struggling with increasing rents alongside the increasing cost of living. The subsequent caps will create the long term structure change that the system needs.
"Because we are in a housing crisis, people shouldnt have to choose between putting food on the table and paying their rent - it's just not good enough.
"The ACT Greens will ban all unsolicited 'rent bidding', to prevent potential tenants offering more than the asking price - which locks others out of the market and increases rental prices. We will also enforce rules on no cause evictions and rent increase limits via the Rental Commissioner - to ensure that renters are empowered to enforce their rights in rejecting illegal rent increases.
"These and other measures in this policy form part of the Greens broader plan to fix the housing crisis. Renters are at the heart of this plan, because the current system is designed to deliver profit to landlords, not homes for people. The system is stacked against renters and that needs to change.
"The ACT Greens have worked hard to improve rights for renters, we have banned 'no cause' evictions, banned solicited rent bidding and introduced minimum ceiling insulation for rental properties.
"While we have achieved a lot, the Labor and Liberal parties have continually blocked our attempts to deliver better protections for renters such as a rent freeze and improved rent caps.
"If we are re-elected in October, the ACT Greens will deliver practical and concrete measures to fight for renters and fix the private rental market," Mr Rattenbury said.
ACT Greens Member for Brindabella and renter Laura Nuttall, who is re-contesting her seat, believes the Government should do more to assist renters with the housing and cost of living crisis.
"The cost-of-living crisis is not getting any better, and we know more and more people are struggling to keep up with basic living expenses," Miss Nuttall said. "Just over a year ago I was putting off going to medical appointments and putting off paying for medication just to stay on top of groceries. I, like many others, spent a lot of time organising my life around not having quite enough money to get by comfortably. Rent is a huge driver of the cost of living crisis and it shouldn't be this way."
"During COVID we saw that the rent relief fund made a huge difference for a lot of people in having a safe place to call home. In a cost-of-living crisis the ACT Greens believe the rent relief fund should exist permanently to help protect renters from the risk of eviction and homelessness and help people manage those unexpected short term financial shocks," Miss Nuttall said.
"I know first-hand that moving house is expensive and stressful and can be quite unexpected. Renters are often forced to move for reasons outside their control, and requirements such as rental bonds increase the costs even further. We're talking about people living in rental duress also being $2000 out of pocket for weeks."
ACT Greens Member for Yerrabi and renter Andrew Braddock said he knows the feeling of powerlessness that renters experience in the market.
"A year ago I was notified that my landlord had decided to sell my house vacant. I experienced the powerlessness of not being able to guarantee a roof over my head and a home for myself and my young children despite my immense privilege. I had to explain to my children why they needed to pack up their belongings and leave their home at short notice."
"A Rental Commissioner will help inform renters who are often at a power and financial disadvantage, of their rights and provide accessible avenues to resolve disputes.
"Other practical help including a portable bond scheme and rent freeze, plus permanent rent relief fund will greatly assist renters who are struggling in an unaffordable rental market," said Mr Braddock.
