NSW targetting slumlords
Look Up Strata
11 May 2016
New South Wales has modernized their Strata Act and it is taking affect later this year.
The government has set up the Data Analytics Centre (DAC) and
from what we understand DAC has undertaken six projects and one of the
projects that we are aware of is in relation to Strata ‘Slumlords’.
The project is set up to help locate and identify and deal with
‘Slumlords’. It is believed that the ‘Slumlords’ are allowing large
numbers into units that are too small to accommodate.
Quoting from CIO Australia:
‘Certain dodgy landlords were found to
have been placing 14 vulnerable students into two bedroom flats,
charging up to $150 per person, per week. In August 2014, the NSW
government threatened to cut off electricity to these apartments to
shut down their practices’
We are told that data can be sourced by various ways, by realising the
usage of water and electricity in higher than normal usage is one
example, Development Applications etc. are further resources that can
confirm the number of suitable residence for each unit. Excessive
usage, let’s say a one bedroom unit that should occupy one person or
possibly a couple at most, could indicate the usage of what would be
expected for six persons living in the unit. This sort of excessive
data usage would be flagged and given to the relevant authorities.
The above resource referred to ‘Slumlords’, we are aware that it is not
always the way that the landlord is aware, and that tenants whose name
appears on the lease may be allowing large numbers of occupiers to live
in the apartment and maybe collecting rent from these people without
the landlord being aware.
Whichever is the case, when too many people live in cramped conditions
and it is not recognised, it can cause Health and Safety issues, as
well as unnecessary disturbance to other residence within the Strata
Scheme.
It is believed that the DAC will put NSW as a leader nationally and
also worldwide collecting data usage, to help stamp out the above.
NSW Government is not only reforming Strata, it is thinking outside the
box and implementing changes through as many resources as possible as
mentioned above.
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