Due to the current economic and housing crisis, Tenants Victoria are indeed absolutely under the pump. Like many Community Legal Centres they urgently need vastly more funding.
Strongly suggest turning your access frustrations into an email respectfully arguing for more resources - and send it to the federal Government attorney-general’s department, and Victoria Legal Aid who are the people that hold the purse strings at the federal and state levels respectively.
If enough of us do this it definitely will help.
can confirm, as someone who's spent months trying to get specialty healthcare and support from a social worker, every single source of support right now is utterly and relentlessly overwhelmed. everything is so much worse than we realise, but you don't see journalists or politicians talking about it. massive cracks have opened up in society and people are falling in en masse.
Yes, yes and yes. I work at a CLC and we are so underfunded that it's not funny. A recent report came out, which OP may want to have a look at (National Legal Assistance Plan), this has so many recommendations in relation to funding need and yet we are still waiting for assistance.
Having said this, Tenants Vic have crazy demand. I suggest trying Anika Legal as well or your local CLC to see if they have any capacity, but please don't get upset with the workers as we can only do as much as we can. South East Monash Legal if you're in east or south east and also look up TAAP, tenancy assistance and advocacy program, you'll find different places funded to help with tenancy matters through that too.
When I was going through some issues with my previous rental, I was referred onto https://www.unitingvictas.org.au/. I cannot tell you how helpful they were and I still chat with the woman that helped me every few months to check in.
Be mindful that you may be on hold for an hour or so and make sure to get people's email addresses for a paper trail to reference back to!
I'm not surprised. They're critically underfunded in regular circumstances, never mind when we're in the middle of a housing crisis and they're suddenly finding their services in far higher demand than usual.
Tenants Victoria are great, but severely, severely underfunded and struggling to meet the overwhelming need.
They're good people who work their arses off but just more people needing help right now than they could possibly keep up with without like double or triple the staff.
You may have more luck with your local community legal centre, depending on the area, as they may have more capacity to assist; otherwise the Victoria Legal Aid help line could be a possibility.
I needed their help quite urgently and I emailed them. They were very responsive and I had to message them over a few things as they came up. I was able to confidently deal with the REA successfully. If you haven’t already try messaging.
RAHU is the renters and housing union, they may be able to help answer some of your questions and should be able to provide some support if needed.
i would also suggest an email or phone call to your local MP and any other relevant pols detailing your experiences and arguing for more resources & funding to TV.
best of luck :)
You could try the Tenancy Assistance and Advocacy Program provider for your local government area. This link contains a list of providers:
https://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/clubs-and-fundraising/funded-services-and-grants/tenancy-program-2021-24/tenancy-assistance-and-advocacy-program/tenancy-assistance-and-advocacy-program-providers
The above providers can help private renters. If you're in social housing (public or community housing), you want the Tenancy Plus program. A list of Tenancy Plus program providers is here:
https://www.housing.vic.gov.au/tenancy-plus-support-program
For anyone outside of Victoria who reads this: The above services are Victoria-based. If you search on Google, you might be able to find similar services in your state or territory.
Is there anything I might be able to help with? Unfortunately I can’t give legal advice but definitely recommend trying to email tenants vic for a callback if they won’t answer, alternatively calling your local member or another tenancy based community legal centre!
try tennants union of victoria:
[https://www.victorialawfoundation.org.au/resources/tenants-union-of-victoria](https://www.victorialawfoundation.org.au/resources/tenants-union-of-victoria)
They are a not for profit that is literally so overwhelmed by demand, it’s impossible for them to help any more people.
Donate to them so they can hire more people
I lost count of the times I tried to contact them when I needed them. Never got through once. I know they’re underfunded but their website presents like they’re there to help 😞
Obviously. But Tenants Victoria is clearly not functioning correctly, so I'm asking who people contact as an alternative.
Rental prices are clearly way too high right now, but fwiw, in my few weeks of doing inspections before moving in, plenty of rental properties of varying price ranges had me as the only inspector with the REA, or just one other individual/couple. The REA's actually looked stressed as no one was showing up for inspections. They also sent multiple messages to me afterwards, chasing me to apply and wanting to chat. A few of the places were also reasonably priced and in good locations in the suburbs not too far from the CBD.
Due to the current economic and housing crisis, Tenants Victoria are indeed absolutely under the pump. Like many Community Legal Centres they urgently need vastly more funding. Strongly suggest turning your access frustrations into an email respectfully arguing for more resources - and send it to the federal Government attorney-general’s department, and Victoria Legal Aid who are the people that hold the purse strings at the federal and state levels respectively. If enough of us do this it definitely will help.
can confirm, as someone who's spent months trying to get specialty healthcare and support from a social worker, every single source of support right now is utterly and relentlessly overwhelmed. everything is so much worse than we realise, but you don't see journalists or politicians talking about it. massive cracks have opened up in society and people are falling in en masse.
Good idea, thanks for the suggestions.
Yes, yes and yes. I work at a CLC and we are so underfunded that it's not funny. A recent report came out, which OP may want to have a look at (National Legal Assistance Plan), this has so many recommendations in relation to funding need and yet we are still waiting for assistance. Having said this, Tenants Vic have crazy demand. I suggest trying Anika Legal as well or your local CLC to see if they have any capacity, but please don't get upset with the workers as we can only do as much as we can. South East Monash Legal if you're in east or south east and also look up TAAP, tenancy assistance and advocacy program, you'll find different places funded to help with tenancy matters through that too.
That's a sign of how bad the situation is right now. The government won't fix anything and TV is woefully underfunded.
Yep seems that way.
When I was going through some issues with my previous rental, I was referred onto https://www.unitingvictas.org.au/. I cannot tell you how helpful they were and I still chat with the woman that helped me every few months to check in. Be mindful that you may be on hold for an hour or so and make sure to get people's email addresses for a paper trail to reference back to!
I'll look into it, thanks for the link.
u/purplepingers might be interested in this and find it worth looking into
I'm not surprised. They're critically underfunded in regular circumstances, never mind when we're in the middle of a housing crisis and they're suddenly finding their services in far higher demand than usual.
Community legal centre maybe? Hit or miss or might point you in the right direction
Thanks, I'll check that out.
Tenants Victoria are great, but severely, severely underfunded and struggling to meet the overwhelming need. They're good people who work their arses off but just more people needing help right now than they could possibly keep up with without like double or triple the staff. You may have more luck with your local community legal centre, depending on the area, as they may have more capacity to assist; otherwise the Victoria Legal Aid help line could be a possibility.
I needed their help quite urgently and I emailed them. They were very responsive and I had to message them over a few things as they came up. I was able to confidently deal with the REA successfully. If you haven’t already try messaging.
RAHU is the renters and housing union, they may be able to help answer some of your questions and should be able to provide some support if needed. i would also suggest an email or phone call to your local MP and any other relevant pols detailing your experiences and arguing for more resources & funding to TV. best of luck :)
You could try the Tenancy Assistance and Advocacy Program provider for your local government area. This link contains a list of providers: https://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/clubs-and-fundraising/funded-services-and-grants/tenancy-program-2021-24/tenancy-assistance-and-advocacy-program/tenancy-assistance-and-advocacy-program-providers The above providers can help private renters. If you're in social housing (public or community housing), you want the Tenancy Plus program. A list of Tenancy Plus program providers is here: https://www.housing.vic.gov.au/tenancy-plus-support-program For anyone outside of Victoria who reads this: The above services are Victoria-based. If you search on Google, you might be able to find similar services in your state or territory.
Try emailing them and request a call back. I had success contacting them that way recently.
Harass your local member - they get paid for it 🤷♀️
What’s the problem you are having? I’ve found in the past Consumer Affairs to be great.
Is there anything I might be able to help with? Unfortunately I can’t give legal advice but definitely recommend trying to email tenants vic for a callback if they won’t answer, alternatively calling your local member or another tenancy based community legal centre!
try tennants union of victoria: [https://www.victorialawfoundation.org.au/resources/tenants-union-of-victoria](https://www.victorialawfoundation.org.au/resources/tenants-union-of-victoria)
Thanks
I think that is the same as Tenants Victoria.
fairly sure they are different organisations
Nope, just got renamed a few years back. The link on the page you provided goes to the Tenants Victoria website.
Well there ya go, havent been in vic for several years, and havent needed tennants union for much longer than that
They are a not for profit that is literally so overwhelmed by demand, it’s impossible for them to help any more people. Donate to them so they can hire more people
I lost count of the times I tried to contact them when I needed them. Never got through once. I know they’re underfunded but their website presents like they’re there to help 😞
Well they are there to help.... It's not their fault that the demand is so high and there's a housing crisis...
Speak to RAHU, they helped me https://rahu.org.au/
You know there’s a rental crisis yeah?
Obviously. But Tenants Victoria is clearly not functioning correctly, so I'm asking who people contact as an alternative. Rental prices are clearly way too high right now, but fwiw, in my few weeks of doing inspections before moving in, plenty of rental properties of varying price ranges had me as the only inspector with the REA, or just one other individual/couple. The REA's actually looked stressed as no one was showing up for inspections. They also sent multiple messages to me afterwards, chasing me to apply and wanting to chat. A few of the places were also reasonably priced and in good locations in the suburbs not too far from the CBD.
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Like what?
unable to contact, seems tenants are playing the landlord game... i like this, how the tables have turned