Strategies for staving off evictions in Victoria
Victorians rejected for a rental property because they’re on a tenancy ‘blacklist’ should investigate having that listing removed, a Victorian renters’ rights forum has been told.
Blacklists are databases run by private companies which collect information on renters for use by real estate agents.
“Tenancy databases are unfortunately still an issue for people in Victoria,” Justice Connect Homeless Law lawyer Jemma Donaghey told the forum.
Ms Donaghey says rejected renters should ask to inspect the black list entry to determine if it’s valid.
“Is that information accurate? Should it still be on there? Is there something they can do to have it removed?”
The issue was raised in an audience question during the broader session dealing with renters’ rights, evictions and tenancy protections in Victoria, two years after sweeping changes to the state’s tenancy regulation regime.
VCOSS Policy and Advocacy Director Deborah Fewster moderated the session, and said renters are dealing with surging rents, low vacancy rates and a global cost-of-living crisis.
“The aim [of today] is to address the rental market power imbalance and make renting fairer and safer,” Ms Fewster said.
The session also heard from Angela Kyriakopoulos from the Council to Homeless Persons, who shared strategies for community sector workers who are helping renters avoid evictions and homelessness.
“Specialist programs should be able to assist [people] to stop and prevent [them] from being evicted when they receive a Notice to Vacate,” Ms Kyriakopoulos said.
“They should be able to have the skill, and … know how to access different types of funding programs”. ▇
More on renters' rights
This is a partial summary of VCOSS Renters’ Rights Rundown: Making sense of evictions sector forum held on 22 June 2023. A full transcript, slides etc can be found here.
Thanks to the Council to Homeless Persons and Justice Connect Homeless Law.
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