Draft letter to help you write or email

Date
Name
Address

Dear local MP/Premier/Minister for Housing and Public Works
RE: Reinstatement of funding for tenant advisory services

I am writing to express my opposition to the withdrawal of funding to tenant advisory services across the state and to insist the government fully restore funding to these vital services which assist Queensland tenants to remain housed and to live in properties that are safe and fit to live in.

These services are important because:

EITHER  Insert your own text about why these services are important (please refer to facts and figues and other background information on this site)

OR  Use any or all of the following points to convey your thoughts about funding cuts

  • The program is funded primarily from the interest generated on my and other tenants bonds/ tenants’ bonds not tax payer dollars.  Services are funded by and for tenants;
  • Specialised TUQ and local tenant advisory services available in every region of the state will be lost and result in an increase in size to a centralised government agency (the Residential Tenancies Authority – RTA) based in Brisbane;
  • The Minister is incorrect when he says RTA can replace the loss of tenant advisory services because the RTA does not offer the same services.  Tenants will lose access to free advice (the RTA only provides information), support to exercise their rights and face to face assistance when it is required.
  • The TUQ and local/regional tenant advisory services offer a high quality of well integrated, tenant focussed services which reduce homelessness and bring about a more even playing field in the rental market.
  • The Minister states that the money from tenant advisory services will be used to build more social housing. Tenant advocates strongly support the delivery of social housing but oppose tenants’, as tax payers, being required to fund this core government responsibility.  It is appropriate that interest generated on tenants’ bonds be used for a free advice service for tenants.
  • The number of social housing properties able to be built with savings from the program amount to around 20 per annum (to reduce a waitlist of 30,000 households), less that one for each area tenants can seek advice and a small number compared to the 80,000 households that receive advice each year.  Most of those households waiting for social housing are living in the private rental market are will be more vulnerable without access to free tenancy advice.

I would like a response to my request for funding reinstatement as soon as possible.

Yours sincerely,

 

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