Rental-Insights-A-COVID-19-Collection - Flipbook - Page 17
RENTAL INSIGHTS:
COPING WITH
LOW INCOME
Better policy frameworks for negotiating
rent reductions in future pandemics,
recessions and other emergencies need
to be provided. A clear set of rules, relief
funds for landlords as well as tenants,
and discounts on government charges
such as land tax where a landlord
discounts rents should be provided.
A system whereby, if certain conditions
were met (e.g. the tenant had lost a
full time job) a set reduction in rent
occurred automatically, would be more
equitable. Then negotiation between
the tenant and landlord would only be
needed if a tenant was seeking a deeper
discount. While negotiating on a caseby-case basis would seem appropriate
in commercial leases, using the same
approach for the private rental market
is less appropriate.
COVID-19 ISSUES AND HOUSEHOLD INCOME: Helpfulness of landlords/agents
negotiating rent reductions and adequacy of homes for working/learning from home
25
Landlords/agents not helpful at all
Homes not adequate at all
20
15
Percent
What is the relevance
to Australian policy?
16
10
5
0
< 31k
31-59k
59-90k
90-125k
> 125k
Learning-from-home strategies need to
consider the housing circumstances of
all households and develop policies that
consider the needs of children living in
the private rental market in houses that
are not suitable for learning from home.
One-parent families were the most common
household type to report that their home
was not adequate for work or study.