Yahoo Finance Dad evicted from home despite agreeing to $250-a-week rental increase
Troy was happy to pay more to stay in his home but on one condition.
An Australian dad has been evicted from his property despite agreeing to a massive rent increase.
Perth resident Troy Humberston said his family had been “good tenants” during their time at their Bentley home. The landlord asked the father of two for an extra $250 in rent per week and he accepted with one condition.
"I'd agreed to the $900 a week - but then I took exception to him [the landlord] wanting us to pay the increased rent starting 30 days early,” Humberston told 9News.
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It didn’t take long for an eviction notice to be issued to the Humberston family.
Unfortunately, this is perfectly legal in Western Australia, which has a "no grounds" evictions policy. Landlords are allowed to end a periodic lease with 60 days’ notice for whatever reason they choose, and only 30 days’ notice for a fixed-term lease.
It’s a contentious rule and the National Cabinet recommended last year it be removed and landlords forced to give reasonable grounds for eviction. Cabinet also pushed for eviction appeals, a national standard for single rent increases per year, and limiting break-lease fees.
A state government spokesperson said at the time that measures had already been announced to help the rental market.
“National Cabinet has agreed to work on a consistent policy for reasonable grounds for eviction, with consideration to existing policies in individual jurisdictions,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
“The best and most important policy to boost the rental market is to increase supply – and this is our number one priority.
“In May the [WA] government announced a range of reforms for renters and landlords. These include reducing the frequency of rent increases to once every 12 months, prohibiting the practice of rent bidding, allowing tenants to keep pets and make minor modifications, and referring disputes to the Commissioner for Consumer Protection for determination.
“This will continue to be our policy in WA.”
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Renters in Perth face the lowest vacancy rate in the country of 0.4 per cent, according to new SQM data, meaning if a tenant gets evicted, they face a tough prospect of finding a new home.
Shelter WA said "no-fault" evictions must be removed from the legislature or we could see more people wind up homeless.
“There are currently seven clear grounds for eviction in Western Australia in addition to ‘no-fault’ evictions, including tenant breaches, property damage, and sale of the property, and we’re open to having more grounds added ensuring landlords and tenants have greater security and transparency,” Shelter WA CEO Kath Snell said.
“Landlords will still be able to evict tenants who don’t pay rent, damage the property or behave in an antisocial way under the existing grounds and via a normal breach notice. In fact, the process is much faster and simpler, requiring only 14 days’ notice for a breach, than it is for a ‘no-fault’ eviction.
“Removing the fear of ‘no-fault’ eviction will enable renters to assert their rights and provide long-term security of tenure, helping to keep people in their homes and out of homelessness.”
