A no-nonsense real estate agent has slapped down a boomer who complained about a forthcoming ban on ‘no-fault’ evictions of renters in NSW.
State Premier Chris Minns announced a new law on Saturday abolishing ‘no-grounds’ evictions to allow renters ‘to build a home and life on surer ground’.
It means that landlords will no longer be able to evict tenants without a ‘reasonable’ excuse.
One critic, writing beneath Mr Minns’ announcement on Instagram, lashed the decision as ‘typical Labor attacking anyone who wants to provide for their own retirement’.
‘If I buy a house I should have more rights than the person renting it, period,’ the critic seethed.
‘It will just encourage and empower bad behaviour from tenants.’
But Sydney-based real estate agent Ashton Chan was having none of it.
‘If you want rights, don’t take your tenant’s money,’ he responded.
NSW Premier Chris Minns announced a new law on Saturday abolishing ‘no-grounds’ evictions to allow renters ‘to build a home and life on surer ground’ (pictured: a queue for an open inspection in Bondi in Sydney’s eastern suburbs)
Mr Chan, who has helped sell hundreds of luxury properties across Sydney, told Daily Mail Australia he stood by his words – and actually wanted the government to go further.
‘I agree with the ban because I myself was a renter for five years in Artarmon on Sydney’s lower north shore,’ Mr Chan said.
‘I would not be happy if my landlord kicked me out for no reason, out of the blue, especially in this market right now where it’s hard to find a place to rent.’
He added: ‘If you want to rent out your property and take your tenant’s money, you cannot also at the same time have the the rights to do whatever you wish.’
Mr Chan acknowledged that his views may surprise people given he often works for landlords.
‘I know real estate agents get a bad rep but not all agents are the same,’ he said.
He said he also wished the government would look at altering the rules around landlords who let out their property for a fixed term but then decide to sell it within that period.
‘What I have to face every day now is if my vendor wants to sell the property, I have to arrange an inspection time with the tenant and I’m interrupting their privacy and their personal space,’ he said.
Sydney-based real estate agent Ashton Chan (pictured) said he backed the ban on no-fault evictions in NSW – and called on the government to also address the issue of landlords who decide to sell their property during a fixed term lease
‘They pay full rent every week but I have to come in there and do the open home inspections because the landlord decides to sell.
‘I don’t think it’s fair for the tenant because they signed a contract with the landlord and all they want is to get what their money’s worth and to enjoy their home in privacy.’
The move to ban no-fault eviction in NSW brings the state into line with other states and territories including the ACT, South Australia and Victoria where governments have already legislated their own models to end the practice.
The NSW government said about 33 per cent of the population were renting, a whopping 17.6 per cent increase since 2016.
Worse still, median rent prices grew by about 7 per cent in the past 12 months.
‘Anyone who rents in NSW knows just how anxious and challenging renting can be at the moment,’ Mr Minns said at the time of the announcement.
‘We’ve all seen the lines on a Saturday morning with hundreds of people waiting to inspect new properties.
‘We believe this reform gets the balance right, but importantly, this will give both homeowners and renters more certainty, more peace of mind, so they can build a home and a life on surer ground.’
