Renters and advocates are worried there could be a surge in no-grounds evictions in New South Wales over the coming month as landlords act ahead of the law changing in mid-May.
The Tenants’ Union of NSW says it’s a “real risk” and the Minns government has dropped the ball by not putting interim measures in place to protect renters.
Luke Fennell and his family in 2023 faced a massive 40% increase in the rent of their Sydney home. Fennell knew challenging the rise was risky but fought for a 25% jump instead. Two months later, the engineer was served a no-grounds eviction notice.
“You feel like a mug,” Fennell said. “The whole system is set up to ensure that, as a tenant, you have no power at all.”
Fennell, his partner and their two adult children packed their lives into boxes and relocated to a neighbouring suburb. The move cost $3,000.
“I couldn’t take a 40% increase on the chin. That was just ridiculous. But I paid the price for not doing that,” he said.
The NSW government last year changed the law to make it harder for renters to be evicted, and easier to rent with a pet. Labor also capped rent increases to once a year.
In late March, the state government announced the ban on no-grounds evictions would start on 19 May. Landlords and agents will have to give renters a reason to end their tenancy and provide evidence that those grounds are genuine – such as a change of property use, selling the home or the landlord is moving in.
Housing organisations have welcomed the 2024 legislation but are bracing for a spike in no-grounds evictions before the change takes effect. They are questioning why the government did not try to prevent 11th-hour rental terminations.
Camilla Pandolfini, the chief executive of Redfern Legal Centre, which runs the Inner Sydney Tenants’ Advice and Advocacy Service, said her team was preparing to assist an influx of tenants served no-grounds termination notices before the reforms commence.
Pandolfini said there was an increase in inquiries from tenants evicted without cause – typically after challenging a rent increase – when the reforms were announced in July 2024.
“We can reasonably expect a similar spike, which may continue until 18 May, as landlords are still able to evict tenants under the old rules until that date,” she said.
