Additional measures introduced in Victoria to protect renters from unfair financial burden.

Justice Connect welcomes the Victorian Government’s introduction of reforms that will strengthen protections for renters whose tenancies have been impacted by family violence.

As Victoria’s specialist free legal service for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, Justice Connect has seen firsthand how housing and financial insecurity impacts the most at-risk members of our community, including women and children facing family violence. Building on the significant reforms to the Residential Tenancies Act introduced in recent years, the latest amendments further address gaps in making the rental system safer and fairer for all.

The reforms introduce additional measures to protect renters from unfair financial burdens and barriers to accessing housing, including:

• Stopping private rental providers from discriminating against renters who have or are being subjected to family or personal violence;
• Clarifying liability for loss or damage above the bond amount, so responsibility can be apportioned to the renter who caused those costs through violence against a co-renter, rather than to the victim survivor; and
• Limiting the amount that can be claimed as compensation for early termination of a fixed term lease.

Family violence is the leading cause of homelessness for women and children in Victoria. Through its Women’s Homelessness Prevention Project, Justice Connect’s Homeless Law provides specialised legal representation and social work support to ensure that women and children are safely housed. The latest reforms reflect years of advocacy by Justice Connect which has consistently called for change to lessen the impact on victim survivors whose tenancies are affected by family violence.

“Every week, our Homeless Law team works with women and children whose housing security has been threatened by family violence”, says Justice Connect’s Head of Community Programs Paula Hughes. “These reforms will help to remove barriers to safe and secure housing and ensure victim survivors are not left to pick up the financial pieces of a tenancy impacted by violence”.

Justice Connect will continue working alongside the Victorian Government and the wider tenancy assistance sector to support the implementation of these valuable reforms for renters. We commend the government on marking another significant milestone in Victoria’s journey toward a fairer rental system, which stops homelessness before it starts in our community.