Supporting healthier and more affordable homes for renters

This follows years of advocacy on energy efficient homes through the Make Renting Fair campaign and the One Million Homes Alliance.

Necessary reforms include:

• Mandating minimum energy efficiency standards for rental homes
• Developing programs to improve the energy efficiency of all public and community housing properties
• Committing to building new social and low-cost housing to above-minimum standards
• Implementing safeguards to avoid negative impacts on housing affordability, including rent increases, evictions and loss of affordable rental properties
• Introducing mandatory disclosure of energy performance for properties when they are sold and leased
• Providing incentives, where necessary, to landlords to enable compliance with standards, particularly for affordable rental properties
• Committing to raising standards for major energy-using appliances
• Providing financial assistance to enable low-income households to access efficient appliances

Tenants Victoria CEO, Jennifer Beveridge, said that every Victorian should have access to a healthy, safe and affordable home.

“Whether or not we own or rent, our needs are the same. None of us should be stuck in unhealthy or dangerous properties that are subject to extreme heat or cold. None of us should be forced to go without because our rented home is not fit for purpose. That’s the current reality for many.

“The proposed changes to the National Construction Code would deliver social, economic and environmental benefits to the community.”

More information: https://renew.org.au/submission/community-response-to-ncc-scoping-study