Huge demand and dwindling supply has made it a tough market for renters, and new data shows more and more tenants with serious rental problems are turning to the legal system to solve them.
The number of urgent rental repair matters brought to Victoria's tenancy tribunal is surging, with more than 1,600 people launching legal action in the past financial year.The state government has unveiled plans for what it says will be a faster and fairer dispute resolution body — but it won't be in place until at least the second half of next year.
But the warning has prompted the Melbourne renter and her partner to avoid using the heater except to dry clothes, and to open a window whenever they do. But new data shows more and more tenants with serious rental problems are turning to the legal system to solve them, with the number of urgent repair matters brought to Victoria's tenancy tribunal surging in the wake of significant reforms two years ago.
The March 2021 changes introduced new minimum standards and broadened what counts as an urgent repair, adding problems like structural mould and any faults or damage that rendered a property unsafe. Community legal service leader Noel Lim says too many people with legitimate cases that would likely succeed in VCAT are put off by the "overwhelming proposition" of bringing legal action.
This was the case for Julia, who said she resorted to fixing some of the minor problems herself, and was persistent about others.
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