State Member for Wallsend, Ms Sonia Hornery MP, is calling on the Government to give renters more certainty in a Notice of Motion to the NSW Parliament.
The Notice of Motion moved in Parliament yesterday, calls on the Government to end no grounds termination notices and require landlords to provide reasons for the termination of any rental agreement.
According to the Hunter Tenants Advice and Advocacy Service, rental insecurity is one of the largest issues facing tenants in the Wallsend electorate.
Quotes attributable to Member for Wallsend, Sonia Hornery
“Currently renters in the Wallsend electorate can be evicted without being given a reason. This means renters can and do get kicked out for things like asking for basic repairs or questioning a steep increase in the rent.”
“Many renters live in fear of losing their home and don’t ask for their legislated rights like maintenance or repairs.”
“When someone is evicted it hurts the whole community. Communities lose neighbours and friends. They lose workers, volunteers and community members.”
“One in three renters are likely to have moved home in the last year, and almost 40% have moved three or more times in the past five years.”
“Around a third of renters have experienced being forced to move, often facing significant personal, social and financial costs as a result. Vulnerable tenants, those on low incomes or with complex needs, are at a much higher risk of being evicted directly into homelessness.”
“I am calling on the Government to work towards removing no grounds termination notices and replacing them with an expanded list of reasonable grounds for ending an agreement.”
“This would require landlords to be transparent about their reasons for ending a tenancy and give tenants the chance to challenge an unfair eviction.”