Rogue tenants put on notice

Published Thursday, 04 April, 2013 at 09:05 AM

Minister for Housing and Public Works
The Honourable Tim Mander

Rogue public housing tenants will soon face stricter penalties for bad behaviour with the Newman Government today launching a “three-strikes and you’re out” policy.

Minister for Housing Tim Mander said the new policy would see problem tenants evicted if they failed to curb their behaviour.

“While the majority of our tenants do the right thing, there is an anti-social minority who treat their neighbours with contempt and the taxpayers with disdain,” Mr Mander said.

“Under Labor it was almost impossible to get evicted, no matter how badly you behaved.

“Those days are now over. People need to realise that that public housing is a privilege that comes with certain responsibilities.

“At a bare minimum, people are expected to refrain from destroying the property or using it to conduct a criminal enterprise. Similarly, there is an expectation that tenants won’t behave in a way that is unnecessarily disruptive to others in the neighbourhood.”

Under the new policy, tenants would be evicted if they received three strikes in a 12 month period for actions such as hosting out-of-control parties, aggressive behaviour or vandalism.

Tenants found to have caused extensive damage to the property or engaged in unlawful behaviour like manufacturing drugs will face immediate eviction, and people evicted under the new policy will be ineligible to reapply for social housing for three months.

Mr Mander said tenants would have every chance to modify their behaviour and sustain their tenancy.

“After the first strike, tenants will be issued with a written warning. After the second, they will have to sign an Acceptable Behaviour Agreement to demonstrate that they understand what is, and what is not, acceptable.

“However, we need to be very clear that there will be consequences for people who simply refuse to do the right thing. 

“This policy is about sending a clear message to those who are hell-bent on doing the wrong thing that we will not accept disruptive, dangerous or illegal behaviour.”

Fast Facts:

  • There are currently 23,000 households waiting for social housing in Queensland with more than half classified as High or Very High need.
  • In 2012 the Department received 24,529 complaints about anti-social behaviour in public housing
  • Between 2008 and 20011 tenants were issued with a combined 103,126 breach notices.
  • Over the same period, only 320 households were evicted.
  • Last year unruly tenants caused more than $5 million worth of damage to government owned properties

[ENDS] 4 April 2013

Media contact: Martin Kennedy 0407 643 998