SUPPORT workers have welcomed moves to impose on-the-spot fines for rogue rooming house operators, but they warn that forcing properties to close will only intensify the cycle of homelessness.
From next March, all rooming houses will be bound by minimum standards, forcing operators to provide locks in every bedroom and bathroom, adequate kitchen amenities and power supplies.
Consumer Affairs Victoria said new regulations meant failure to meet the standards could be dealt with immediately, rather than only through the courts.
Companies operating rooming houses face fines of up to $2800 for each breach.
The changes come amid heightened concerns about living conditions in the soaring number of rooming houses in the north-west.
There are 19 registered rooming houses in Brimbank. But the council estimates there are more than 100 illegal houses throughout the city.
Earlier this year, the Weekly reported there had been an eight-fold increase in the number of rooming houses in Melbourne’s inner-west, including Brimbank, Maribyrnong, Hobsons Bay and Moonee Valley.
The number of rooming houses in Melton and Wyndham rose from one in 2006 to 36 last year, while rooming house tenants climbed from nine to 264.
In the inner-west, the number of tenants soared from 288 in 2006 to 2669 last year.
Norwood Association team leader Brad Wilde said rooming house residents were among society’s most vulnerable and many had mental health issues.
“It’s often a stressful period for these individuals to secure housing and then it’s hard to feel safe in their housing,” he said.
“Not knowing who the other people are in the house or their background makes these tenants vulnerable.”
Mr Wilde said conditions in rooming houses were often extremely poor.
He called for the state government to waiver fines for landlords who were trying to abide by the law.
“There are landlords doing this out of the goodness of their hearts. Rather than close down their rooming houses, the government needs to help them fund improving the standard of living. Otherwise they’re contributing to the cycle of homelessness.”
Western Metropolitan Liberal MP Andrew Elsbury said rooming house residents deserved a safe and secure place to live, with minimum standards set and enforced.
He said the government planned to increase the number of inspections of rooming houses in Victoria.
Brimbank’s manager of community well-being, Josie Scarfo, said the council was part of the Brimbank Rooming House Action Group, which supported registered rooming houses.
More than 60 unregistered rooming houses were shut down following a council crackdown in 2010.
The worst things noted by inspectors included a mother and three children living in a single bedroom and people cooking and living in their bedrooms.
