Submission: In response to the draft Social Security Legislation Amendment (Public Housing Tenants' Support) Bill 2013

Over that time we have assisted a large number of tenants who have fallen into arrears to successfully negotiate repayment plans with their landlords, keeping their tenancies on foot. We have also seen many matters where tenants were pursued erroneously for large amounts of money for arrears and other charges that they were never liable to pay. 

Our position is that there are multiple causes and circumstances that might lead to a tenant falling into arrears, and that sustaining a public housing tenancy requires an individualized, flexible approach to address those causes. Public housing tenants are particularly vulnerable so a scheme that decreases their control over their rental payments and makes it more difficult to contest their alleged liabilities is not appropriate. The Housing Payments Deduction Scheme has the potential to prevent tenants from independently managing their financial situations and taking the necessary steps to avoid the risk of homelessness. 

Our view in summary

Redfern Legal Centre's submission is that the Housing Payments Deduction Scheme should not proceed. Our submission is that the scheme is not sufficiently flexible to provide a real solution for homelessness caused by arrears, has insufficient review mechanisms and poses a real risk of causing hardship to the vulnerable people it is designed to protect.