New research data reveals many tenants are waiting up to two years to have repairs carried out on their houses, but they don’t speak up for fear of being evicted.
That is a key finding of Home Sweet Home, a community legal centre report looking at standards of rental accommodation for low-income earners in the west.
According to Brimbank Melton Community Legal Centre managing lawyer Stephanie Tonkin, it is “appalling” that tenants have to wait so long for repairs on rental properties.
A separate Brimbank report, to be released next month, reveals the level of rental stress and homelessness is significantly higher in Brimbank than the rest of metropolitan Melbourne.
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Home Sweet Home recommends harsher fines and penalties for landlords who shirk maintenance responsibilities.
A total of 100 tenants – mostly people experiencing financial hardship or newly arrived migrants – were part of the study, which found renters were often unaware of their rights. More than 70 per cent needed one or more repairs to their property.
Ms Tonkin said more needed to be done to empower tenants to take their complaints to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
“We don’t believe clients and their families should be living in appalling conditions,” she said.
» consumer.vic.gov.au/rentright
