Invest
How inconsistent tenancy laws make life difficult for domestic violence victims
Invest
How inconsistent tenancy laws make life difficult for domestic violence victims
Inconsistent tenancy laws across Australia are making it difficult for women and children to leave an abusive partner, a new study has revealed.
How inconsistent tenancy laws make life difficult for domestic violence victims
Inconsistent tenancy laws across Australia are making it difficult for women and children to leave an abusive partner, a new study has revealed.
A report released by the University of South Australia has found that 41 per cent of Australians accessing homelessness services are domestic violence victims.
The report also showed that inconsistent tenancy agreements across states remains a key obstacle for women looking to leave an abusive situation, as only NSW and Western Australia allow victims to leave without going through the courts.
Lead author professor Eileen Webb said that while changes to the Residential Tenancy Act (RTA) allow family domestic violence (FDV) victims to more easily break a lease without penalties, most states still require tenants to go through a court or tribunal.
“This can deter domestic violence victims from seeking relief because they are reluctant to engage with the judicial system and face the perpetrator in court proceedings,” UniSA’s professor of law and ageing said.
“Most states release FDV tenants from outstanding rental payments, repairs and returns of a security deposit, but in some jurisdictions the processes are complex and lengthy.”
The professor said the most efficient and cos-effective way to help victims of domestic violence is through issuing a certificate system.
“A social worker, a person from a refuge, a GP, a person familiar with the situation can simply write a certificate for the tenant to give to the landlord and the lease terminates at that point.
“That sort of approach across Australia would be ideal. That makes the process easier. It doesn’t solve the problems over disputes and rental repairs, but in general it makes that first step of breaking the lease much easier,” Ms Webb continued.
Not only are breaking leases proving difficult, but the study revealed a lack of housing stock in general, and safe and decent accommodation at short notice for women and children experiencing family domestic violence, remains a key challenge.
“Women in violent relationships are more likely to cycle in and out of homelessness, often living in a car or on the streets. It’s a perilous journey finding safe, alternative accommodation and so many invariably return to the perpetrator. Those who try to leave can be even more at risk, including being murdered,” she said.
The report also identified that survivors of domestic violence often have trouble obtaining a new lease because landlords discriminate against them, and because of the difficulties of renting with a pet.
“One in three women experiencing domestic violence don’t leave because they have a pet. It is hard enough to find accommodation for themselves and their children and it’s almost impossible to find a refuge which will take a pet. Women are staying in many cases, even when they have an opportunity to go, because they are frightened of what will happen to their pet,” Professor Webb said.
RELATED ARTICLES
About the author
About the author
Property
Multigenerational living is moving mainstream: how agents, developers and lenders can monetise the shift
Australia’s quiet housing revolution is no longer a niche lifestyle choice; it’s a structural shift in demand that will reward property businesses prepared to redesign product, pricing and ...Read more
Property
Prestige property, precision choice: a case study in selecting the right agent when millions are at stake
In Australia’s top-tier housing market, the wrong agent choice can quietly erase six figures from a sale. Privacy protocols, discreet buyer networks and data-savvy marketing have become the new ...Read more
Property
From ‘ugly’ to alpha: Turning outdated Australian homes into high‑yield assets
In a tight listings market, outdated properties aren’t dead weight—they’re mispriced optionality. Agencies and vendors that industrialise light‑touch refurbishment, behavioural marketing and ...Read more
Property
The 2026 Investor Playbook: Rental Tailwinds, City Divergence and the Tech-Led Operations Advantage
Rental income looks set to do the heavy lifting for investors in 2026, but not every capital city will move in lockstep. Industry veteran John McGrath tips a stronger rental year and a Melbourne ...Read more
Property
Prestige property, precision choice: Data, discretion and regulation now decide million‑dollar outcomes
In Australia’s prestige housing market, the selling agent is no longer a mere intermediary but a strategic supplier whose choices can shift outcomes by seven figures. The differentiators are no longer ...Read more
Property
The new battleground in housing: how first-home buyer policy is reshaping Australia’s entry-level market
Government-backed guarantees and stamp duty concessions have pushed fresh demand into the bottom of Australia’s price ladder, lifting values and compressing selling times in entry-level segmentsRead more
Property
Property 2026: Why measured moves will beat the market
In 2026, Australian property success will be won by investors who privilege resilience over velocity. The market is fragmenting by suburb and asset type, financing conditions remain tight, and ...Read more
Property
Entry-level property is winning: How first home buyer programs are reshaping demand, pricing power and strategy
Lower-priced homes are appreciating faster as government support channels demand into the entry tier. For developers, lenders and marketers, this is not a blip—it’s a structural reweighting of demand ...Read more
Property
Multigenerational living is moving mainstream: how agents, developers and lenders can monetise the shift
Australia’s quiet housing revolution is no longer a niche lifestyle choice; it’s a structural shift in demand that will reward property businesses prepared to redesign product, pricing and ...Read more
Property
Prestige property, precision choice: a case study in selecting the right agent when millions are at stake
In Australia’s top-tier housing market, the wrong agent choice can quietly erase six figures from a sale. Privacy protocols, discreet buyer networks and data-savvy marketing have become the new ...Read more
Property
From ‘ugly’ to alpha: Turning outdated Australian homes into high‑yield assets
In a tight listings market, outdated properties aren’t dead weight—they’re mispriced optionality. Agencies and vendors that industrialise light‑touch refurbishment, behavioural marketing and ...Read more
Property
The 2026 Investor Playbook: Rental Tailwinds, City Divergence and the Tech-Led Operations Advantage
Rental income looks set to do the heavy lifting for investors in 2026, but not every capital city will move in lockstep. Industry veteran John McGrath tips a stronger rental year and a Melbourne ...Read more
Property
Prestige property, precision choice: Data, discretion and regulation now decide million‑dollar outcomes
In Australia’s prestige housing market, the selling agent is no longer a mere intermediary but a strategic supplier whose choices can shift outcomes by seven figures. The differentiators are no longer ...Read more
Property
The new battleground in housing: how first-home buyer policy is reshaping Australia’s entry-level market
Government-backed guarantees and stamp duty concessions have pushed fresh demand into the bottom of Australia’s price ladder, lifting values and compressing selling times in entry-level segmentsRead more
Property
Property 2026: Why measured moves will beat the market
In 2026, Australian property success will be won by investors who privilege resilience over velocity. The market is fragmenting by suburb and asset type, financing conditions remain tight, and ...Read more
Property
Entry-level property is winning: How first home buyer programs are reshaping demand, pricing power and strategy
Lower-priced homes are appreciating faster as government support channels demand into the entry tier. For developers, lenders and marketers, this is not a blip—it’s a structural reweighting of demand ...Read more
