| The Make Renting Fair Alliance has welcomed yesterday’s announcement by the State Government that the first tranche of reforms to the Residential Tenancies Act has passed Parliament. The important reforms will provide some relief for those 700,000 Western Australians in the rental market with changes including limiting rent increases to once per year, banning property managers soliciting rental bidding, giving tenants the rights to own a pet and make small modifications to the property, and a streamlined dispute resolution process. These changes come at a time when the rental crisis is worse now than it was when these reforms were first announced in May 2023, median rent in Perth now sits at $640 a week, and continues to skyrocket across every region. The Alliance, which includes 33 members, has been campaigning for secure, affordable, and healthy homes since 2019. Make Renting Fair now turns its attention to what it would like to see in the second tranche of reforms to the Act with a focus on safe, secure and healthy homes. This means including minimum standards, rent stabilisation measures and the removal of no grounds eviction, which will be critical for WA renters during this cost of living and housing crisis. WACOSS CEO and Make Renting Fair Alliance spokesperson Louise Giolitto said: “When these changes were first announced in May last year our alliance knew they would make a real difference to tenants. “The requirements for fixed advertised pricing, and the ban on agents soliciting bids will provide welcome certainty, particularly when considering the spiraling cost of living. “Our alliance is pleased this legislation has now been passed.” |
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