I've been renting in inner Melbourne for 17 years. The cost has (obviously) increased substantially over that time and it is becoming unaffordable for me even though I am earning a healthy salary. There is no ability for me to able to continue to rent and save money for a house deposit. I reluctantly accept that I will never be a home owner and therefore will never be able to retire.
The Commissioner consults widely to identify key issues affecting renters in Victoria. Some of the key issues raised with the Commissioner are:
- the lack of affordable rentals
- insecurity
- discrimination against particular groups of renters
- the poor condition of some properties at the start of a tenancy
- getting repairs done to the property during your tenancy
- the right to modify a property to make a house feel like your home
- evictions of disadvantaged renters
- overcrowding and the rights of renters in illegal rooming houses
- renters not understanding their rights
- renters not taking action to resolve disputes
- renters fearing adverse consequences if they exercise their rights
- renters not participating in dispute resolution at VCAT
Tell us your renting story
You can also tell us about your experience as a renter. This will help us to identify other renting issues.
I have moved several times within Victoria because of several reasons … we moved into a near new unit signed a lease got settled in and 6 months later it was sold and the "new owners" wanted to move in right away. Our agent worked day and night to find us somewhere else for my family to go but could not find another rental for us.
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