Submission: Legislative Assembly into the Management of NSW Public Housing Contracts

Redfern Legal Centre has assisted many public housing tenants to get repairs carried out in their homes.  We welcomed the opportunity to make a submission in response to the Legislative Assembly Inquiry into the Management of NSW Public Housing Maintenance Contracts.

RLC has assisted a large number of Housing NSW (HNSW) tenants to get repairs done through advocacy and Tribunal representation. We have identified a set of common concerns from tenants with the way that repairs and maintenance are conducted.  They include:

• Difficulties faced by tenants in getting HNSW to recognise and prioritise the need for repairs; 
• Difficulties experienced by tenants with contractors and sub-contractors;
• Lack of structural repairs undertaken to HNSW properties;
• Failure by HNSW to address long-term maintenance issues;
• Non-compliance with Tribunal orders; and
• Problems with the flow of information between the NSW Land and Housing Corporation (LAHC) and Housing NSW (HNSW)

To address these problems, a full evaluation of the repairs and maintenance system is needed. LAHC should report to the public about the efficiency of the head contractor system, and evaluate the cost efficiency of the separation of HNSW and LAHC.

RLC's submission responds to the terms of reference we have experience in or can provide input to.
We are not in a position to respond to the second term of reference regarding the cost of maintenance of the current public housing stock.
Read our submission