Shelter WA and Make Renting Fair WA are calling for urgent rental reform as a report reveals Western Australia is lagging the nation on progressing nationally agreed rental protections.
National Shelter and the National Association of Renters' Organisations have released their two-year performance report on progress made to deliver the commitments outlined within the National Cabinet's 'Better Deal for Renters' as agreed in August 2023.
The report card ranks WA as the second worst performer in the country, just behind the NT.
It shows two years on, WA has made no progress on a number of key priorities: removing no grounds evictions, limiting break fees for fixed term agreements, making rental applications easier and protecting renters' personal information, and phasing in minimum rental housing standards.
"Renters in Western Australia deserve a better deal," spokesperson for Make Renting Fair WA Alice Pennycott said.
"While no state or territory has met all the National Cabinet commitments, the situation in WA is especially grim. We continue to fall further behind the rest of the country, and renters are left exposed while the government delays action on the most basic and fundamental reforms.
"Providing basic protections for renters isn't optional, it's essential. At the height of a housing crisis, the WA government has fallen short in protecting renters, resulting in families facing unfair evictions, unreasonable rent increases, invasive application processes, and unsafe and unhealthy homes.
"Every day, we hear from renters who are paying through the nose to live in uninhabitable and unsafe homes. Renters are enduring faulty appliances, broken locks, leaks, dampness, mould, and extreme temperatures in winter and summer, afraid that speaking up could trigger eviction or another rent increase. WA renters need security, safety, and dignity - it's past time the state government delivered it."
"Being among the worst jurisdictions in the country when it comes to rental protections is devastating when we consider the wealth in WA. Poor protections are helping to create a dichotomy in regard to quality of life," Shelter WA CEO Kath Snell said.
"No one should be forced to choose between a roof over their head and living in a home that is unsafe or poses a risk to their health, or in fear of asking for improvements due to fear of losing their tenancy.
"Western Australia is failing to act on the most basic reforms. We cannot keep dragging our feet and leaving thousands of tenants exposed to housing insecurity. We need urgent action to lift our minimum rental standards and provide stronger protections so renters across the state can live in a safe and secure home."
As a priority, Shelter WA and Make Renting Fair WA are urging the state government to end no grounds evictions as soon as possible.
They are also calling on the government to urgently progress the next tranche of reforms to:
Make renters' lives more secure, affordable and stable by introducing rent caps and minimum standards
Further reforms to short-term rentals until the vacancy rate is healthy
Deliver 20,000 affordable rentals over the next decade.
