While you can cool down using the recipes in this Cookbook, the systemic solution is to secure decent minimum standards for rental homes. This is the best way to ensure that your home can be safe and comfortable year-round, even if you move elsewhere. Follow the steps below to start advocating for your rights and win better rental standards for yourself and other renters.

How it works

• Make renting fair: By working to win better rental standards, you can make sure that any rental you move to will have good standards, and will maintain thermal comfort year-round. 
• Build community: Some of these tactics you can do yourself, but they are most effective when you are working alongside other renters. This will help to put collective pressure on key decision makers who can help make lasting change for renters.
  

Advantages 

• Lasting change: Landlords may come and go, but good minimum rental standards will live on. This will ensure that any rental you live in will be safe, comfortable, and affordable. This type of change will work better and last longer than the temporary tips we’ve given you in this cookbook. 
• Community-building: By working together with other renters, you can be part of a renter community. Communities provide immense social value, can help you feel supported, and can allow you to advocate more effectively that you could on your own.

You don't need band-aid solutions if you've fixed the broken rental system!

Limitations 

• Can take time: Sustained advocacy work is much more effective than band-aid solutions, but it can take some time to win these outcomes. Your best bet is to engage in sustained advocacy and use the other Coping Cookbook recipes to help you in the meantime. This will help you in both the short and long term.

Method

1. Write to your MP: If you have had to struggle in a substandard rental home, consider writing to your MP and asking them to support better minimum rental standards. By targeting key decision makers alongside other renters, you can help apply pressure for meaningful policy change on rental standards.
2. Join REACH (Renters Engagement and Advocacy Community Hub): Join our online community of renters working together to advocate around our collective renters’ rights. Through this Facebook group, you can engage with MPs, seize media opportunities, and work together on other advocacy initiatives to push for better rental conditions. Join the group here!
3. Connect with your local Tenants Union and renter advocacy groups. Look into local renters groups that organise around renters’ rights and get involved. Many of these groups can provide individual advice, support and advocacy opportunities. On Reddit, there's /shitrentals/, and on Facebook there's "Don't Rent Me". There are different rental groups depending on which state or territory you live in, so find out which you belong to and join!