PUBLIC housing residents who trash properties or defraud the housing system are on notice as the NSW Government moves to place bonds on tenants who cause damage in public housing and evict those convicted of rental fraud.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Minister for Social Housing, Pru Goward, has introduced a Bill into Parliament to amend the Residential Tenancies Act 2010 and Housing Act 2001.
“The majority of public housing tenants do the right thing and have the right to a fairer system – free from wreckers and rorters giving good tenants a bad name and taking up properties they do not deserve,” Ms Goward said.
“Tenant fraud costs taxpayers millions of dollars each year and tenants convicted of rental fraud should not be allowed to remain in public housing.
“Sadly, tenants committing rental fraud and remaining in public housing are preventing a vulnerable person in need from receiving housing assistance.
“We want to send a strong message to tenants convicted of rental fraud that their days in public housing are over.”
The Bill will also give the Government the power to place a rental bond on tenants who have caused significant damage to their public housing property. This will not apply to tenants who do the right thing.
“When a tenant damages their property, the Government has to spend money that could have been used elsewhere in the social housing system,” Ms Goward said.
“It can cost tens of thousands of dollars to fix up a house after it has been damaged and deserted by a tenant.
“Public housing tenants who do the wrong thing should be held accountable in the same way as tenants are in the private market.”