I'm writing to say goodbye! After 7 years I'm wrapping up at Better Renting.

It’s remarkable how much things have changed since 2018. I began Better Renting back then because I wanted renters to have a louder voice on the issues affecting them: things like low-quality housing, unaffordable rents, and the paralysing threat of eviction.

While we are still far from our vision of how renting should be, there has been a lot of progress. We’ve seen unfair evictions abolished in multiple jurisdictions. We’ve seen the introduction of minimum energy performance standards for rental homes in the ACT and Victoria, and progress on other issues like pets in rentals and rent bidding. At a national level, in the past few years we’ve seen the government invest $800 million to cut energy costs and improve conditions  for renters in social housing. 

In addition to these outcomes, we’ve seen a growing movement in this space, with new organisations, new voices, and new approaches all working together to get better results. I’m proud to reflect on the role that Better Renting has played in this.

Of course, “Better Renting” is little more than the community of renters that make it all happen. So to everyone who has taken part, who has spoken with the media, shared their experiences for a submission, taken the Renter Pledge, written to an MP, made a donation, connected with other renters, attended a Tenant Talk -- thank you! I’m really excited about where Better Renting is at now, and so much of this is about the grassroots renter activity we are seeing across Australia.

Thank you again for being part of this. Better Renting began as one person in Canberra writing an angry letter to the editor. It is amazing to now see this thriving renter community. I’m glad to have been a part of it, and I look forward to continuing to see renter power grow in the coming years.

Yours,

Joel,
Better Renting