The region’s largest community housing organisation Beyond Housing has welcomed the announcement, which included a range of measures to keep renters safe in their homes during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Victorian Government has confirmed a six-month ban on evictions, a ban on rent increases for residential properties, and additional financial support for renters who are struggling to pay rent due to the pandemic.
Beyond Housing chief executive officer Celia Adams said the Victorian Government had delivered targeted and balanced assistance for renters and landlords, with the new measures giving renters strong and essential protections that would ensure those people hit hard by the current crisis would not also lose their homes.
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“We recognise that the government is working hard to ensure that renters across Victoria can maintain their tenancies, stay home and continue to flatten the curve,” Ms Adams said.
“We are pleased that in addition to a ban on landlords evicting tenants in financial distress, that the measures include prohibiting rent increases for six months and financial assistance for Victorians struggling to pay the rent.
“Of particular note is the inclusion of incentives for private landlords to negotiate rent reductions, and that this process includes dispute resolution.
“Across our region almost a quarter of the population privately rent their homes, the security of their rental tenure is crucial to their health and stability.
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“The additional $80 million rental assistance fund to support renters who are still in hardship, even after negotiating a rent reduction, is a critically important measure.
“When this is combined with the additional funds for emergency accommodation and rent subsidies, it demonstrates a real commitment to preventing a significant increase in homelessness because of the unprecedented pandemic.”
Beyond Housing has urged renters to continue to meet all their tenancy obligations where possible.
“People still need to adhere to all aspects of their tenancy agreement; the moratorium isn’t an invitation to stop paying rent, but rather to come to an arrangement to reduce payments in proportion to their changed financial circumstances,” Ms Adams said.
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“The Rental Tenancy Act has safeguards for tenants and landlords, but these new measures ease the way through an exceptional and difficult time.”Beyond Housing hoped that the crisis and the investment from the Victorian Government would bring a wider recognition of the importance of stable housing as critical to public health.
“Housing - and its quality, stability, affordability, and location - acts as a safeguard for health and wellbeing,” Ms Adams said.
“You can’t separate your health from where you live.
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“Though social factors like food security or housing instability or healthcare costs are often talked about in isolated terms they are interconnected, and the pandemic is highlighting those connections.
“As this crisis delivers a generational threat of unemployment, which will have lasting effects not just on housing security, but on mental and physical health, family violence and many social factors.
“We will continue to support people in rental properties and to find ways increase the level of social housing to support the vulnerable members of our community.”
Ms Adams said the organisation could assist people in a rental tenancy to stay in their homes during this uncertain period.
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“We offer targeted services to help people sustain private rental and stay in their homes, which means we are ready and able to work with the rental sector on a smooth transition that will deliver social and economic stability alongside the public health outcome we are all looking for,” she said.
“We encourage any person experiencing difficulty meeting their rent obligations, needing advice about the rental relief grant or other tenancy issues to contact us on 1800 825 955, by our email address info@beyondhousing.org.au or reach out via our BeyondHousing Facebook page.”
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