Authorities move to protect renters

A special taskforce in one Aussie state has started taking action to protect vulnerable renters.

The NSW Rental Taskforce is investigating more than 600 cases that involve landlords trying to evict tenants under false pretenses.

The taskforce’s work has been highlighted by one case where a man was fined $35,000 for evicting a tenant after falsely claiming a landlord’s relative needed to move into the property.

The tenant was booted out, only for the home to be brazenly readvertised the very next day at a higher price, with no family member ever materialising.

NSW Fair Trading Minister Anoulack Chanthivong said authorities would continue to uphold the laws.

“In this case, there seems to be a deliberate, contravention … to game the system,” he said.

“And that’s just not on.”

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Minister Anoulack Chanthivong has slammed the misconduct by a number of real estate agents.

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As part of its ban on no-grounds evictions introduced in May last year, the Minns government provided a list of reasons for which a tenant could be evicted, like major renovations or a landlord or relative moving in.

Crucially, it also brought in strict re-letting exclusion periods to deter landlords from simply lying to tenants and immediately putting properties back on the market.

Under these rules, if a tenant is evicted for major repairs or renovations, the property cannot be re-let for at least four weeks.

Where a landlord or their relative moves in, or if the property is slated for demolition or sale, it’s a minimum six-month wait before re-letting.

And if a landlord declares the property will cease to be a rental, it’s off the market for a full year.

Mr Chanthivong confirmed the rental taskforce is actively monitoring listings for breaches, issuing a stern warning: “For the small percentage that are deliberately doing the wrong thing, I just say watch out.”

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Breakfast Point, Fernhill and Parramatta make up the top three NSW suburbs for infringements and warnings.

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Catching them out

While the public can report breaches, the NSW Rental Taskforce’s secret weapon is sophisticated, purpose-built software.

This innovative tech scans rental advertising websites, flagging potential breaches by cross-referencing them with bond data and mandatory end-of-tenancy surveys.

This allows investigators to pinpoint properties that warrant a closer look.

So far, the crackdown has resulted in 12 fines totalling over $50,000, along with 13 formal warnings.

Rental Commissioner Trina Jones highlighted the efficiency of the system, noting that only four per cent of rental properties have required investigation.

“Innovation like the re-letting tool means as regulators we can have a greater focus on problem areas without burdening compliant landlords and agents,” she explained.

The suburbs of Breakfast Point, Fernhill, and Parramatta have emerged as the top three hotspots for infringements and warnings across NSW.