NSW Government Inquiry - CLOSED
Thanks to everyone who sent in a submission to the NSW Consultation on Minimum Energy Efficiency Rental Standards (MEERS), which closed on 31 May. You have made your voice heard for the one in three people in NSW who rent their homes to have access to rooftop solar, stronger standards and fairer renting rules.
Why are rental standards important?
Everyone, whether they rent or own, deserve a home that is safe, healthy and affordable with rooftop solar.
Right now, many renters are stuck in homes that are freezing in winter, unbearably hot in summer, and expensive to keep comfortable without rooftop solar. While homeowners can often make upgrades like insulation, efficient heating and cooling, or installing solar and batteries, renters are left paying the price for poor energy performance without the power to fix it.
“I haven’t asked my landlord about making my home easier to cool because of the fear of being the annoying renter, and because there are so many people out there looking for places to rent I feel that we have lost the voice and power.”
- Brendan, renter in Greater Sydney
Watch our video on Protecting Renters with Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards
If introduced, these standards will make rental homes:
⚡Warmer in winter and cooler in summer
⚡More affordable to run, especially with rooftop solar
⚡Healthier and safer to live in
⚡Reduce environmental impact
“It’s pretty unfair, with the power imbalance it makes it difficult to bring up the topic… the fear of being punished with hire rent”
“I cool my house by cold showers, keeping the blinds down and mini fans”
- Lea, Renter in Sydney
“I think if you're making money from somebody else having shelter, you have a moral obligation to make the place as pleasant as you would like your own to be.”
- Helen, Landlord
The consultation follows a government investigation into the challenges renters face living in energy inefficient homes, including high power bills, poor thermal comfort and impacts on physical and mental health.