$1.4 million owed in public housing rent

Tenants know that it’s highly unlikely they will be kicked out and even if they are they are put on top of the emergency list and housed straight away. Not sure about rent but there are many human trash families living in a new or refurbed house for only a couple of years before it is trashed so bad it’s deemed unlivable. Their dept is wiped and they get to trash a nice new place that should be going to one of the many family’s on emergency list who would appreciate it and look after it.[/quote

Whilst the above rings true sometimes, the majority of public housing tenants are pretty good tenants. Some of them are terrible. Its worth noting that some people wait on the list, get a house and then trash it (or their ‘friends’ do)… waiting on the list does not equal appreciation of having a roof over their head. waving debts to gov (except for small amounts) goes through treasury – not an easy thing – to my knowledge anyway.

nazasaurus said :

My friend worked in this area and confirmed that you CANNOT be expelled or even compelled to pay your debts. One particular tenant on northbourne ave was thousands in arrears.. after much toing and froing the guy basically told them, I cant pay rent AND make the weekly payments on the new Commodore he had, so basically shove it.

I suggest you’re friend may have slightly exaggerated that story.

Tenants know that it’s highly unlikely they will be kicked out and even if they are they are put on top of the emergency list and housed straight away. Not sure about rent but there are many human trash families living in a new or refurbed house for only a couple of years before it is trashed so bad it’s deemed unlivable. Their dept is wiped and they get to trash a nice new place that should be going to one of the many family’s on emergency list who would appreciate it and look after it.

Yeah, but I’m sure when all these public housing people become an surgeons, lawyers, senior public officials or airline pilots, they’ll pay it all back then……….

In the Bega Court thread, I just posted about ‘perverse incentives’. Here is a classic example. In the real world, if you don’t pay your rent, you get evicted. Why would anyone ever leave public housing, where you pay a pittance and get threatened with a “payment plan” if you don’t cough up?

How long does someone have to be behind before they get evicted?

$1.4 million doesn’t sound like much, but assuming the average rent to be $140 per week (a generous estimate) that is 10,000 weeks of unpaid rent. Sounds a bit different to the 99% figure quoted by the Minister, doesn’t it?

Geez and they just busted the ar*e to remove the people paying market rent, well played…….

Priorities come first.

My friend worked in this area and confirmed that you CANNOT be expelled or even compelled to pay your debts. One particular tenant on northbourne ave was thousands in arrears.. after much toing and froing the guy basically told them, I cant pay rent AND make the weekly payments on the new Commodore he had, so basically shove it.