BE FAIR AND FIX A PRICE A FOR RENTAL PROPERTIES

Queensland Housing Minister Robert Schwarten today said that fair approach in this tight rental market was for landlords and agents was to set a price for their properties, and not try and to exploit the market.

“I want people to advertise the rent that they've got and that's it. If you look in the paper and you see a house for rent for $250 a week, or $300 a week, you should be able to turn up there and that's what you expect to pay, not a penny more, not a penny less.” Mr Schwarten said.

“This whole practice of people estate agents ringing would-be renters and saying well, I know it's in the paper for $300, but we now want $350, or you might have a chance it if you put in an extra $40, is not on.

“I am committed to stamping out these unfair and illegal practices.

“The ACCC has a very dim view of those sorts of practice, where you advertise something at a different price to what you actually sell it for.

“There are people urging me to go a step further, and that is regulating the rents that can be charged. Now that's not an easy task, but it's something that I am prepared to consider if these sorts of practices continue.”

Mr Schwarten said some rent rises where property owners are passing on fair costs is acceptable. But other landlords are going way beyond that, and charging prices based not on cost, but what they think they can get away with.

“There is a necessity to intervene in practices where agents are manipulating rent higher or are escalating them unfairly in a way that is unfair, unethical and un-Australian.

“I am willing to give consideration to look into the possibility of establishing a rent tribunal to regulate rents as part of the review of the Residential Tenancy Authority.

“There is nothing wrong with landlords recouping investment on their properties, and getting fair return. But some go way beyond that.

“I welcome the Federal Governments recent interest helping people in the private rental market with rent assistance, but that policy is the same one that has contributed to the state of collapse that we are now seeing in the private rental market, that is seeing even people on $50000-$60000 struggling to rent homes.

“Commonwealth Rent Assistance is taxpayer subsidy to landlords and lacks any regulation about where it is spent. It is not right that a slum landlord get the same subsidy as a decent landlord and the Federal Government needs to address this.

“I want to see a fair market for all renters. The Howard Government needs to start looking at other solutions, like my Homelink scheme.

Mr Schwarten again urged the Federal Government to consider his new proposal – Homelink – to boost the supply of affordable housing in Australia by linking government housing assistance and private property investors.

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