The NSW Ombudsman has upheld a complaint against Housing NSW made by Redfern Legal Centre.
The complaint was lodged in response to Housing NSW providing incomplete and inaccurate information to public housing tenants being relocated from Millers Point, Dawes Point and The Rocks.
Redfern Legal Centre highlighted a number of failures by Housing NSW to comply with their own policies regarding the relocation of tenants. This included misrepresenting Housing NSW’s legal right to enter tenants’ homes and not properly informing tenants of their appeal rights.
The NSW Ombudsman has made a number of suggestions to Housing NSW to improve their practices in Millers Point, including informing tenants of their appeal rights and ceasing to issue letters that misrepresent Housing NSW’s legal powers.
RLC’s Millers Point Tenants’ Advocate, Lindsay Ash, said of the Ombudsman’s findings, “It is vitally important that Housing NSW complies with its own policies when relocating tenants in Millers Point. There are extremely vulnerable and elderly tenants being moved out of their homes and they have a right to complete and accurate information.”
Almost 400 households are being relocated as a result of the NSW Government’s decision to sell all public housing in Millers Point, Dawes Point and the Rocks. Redfern Legal Centre has been providing advice and advocacy for all residents affected by the relocation process through the establishment of the Millers Point Tenants’ Service, with the support of City of Sydney.
Housing NSW has until 14 January 2015 to respond to the findings.
