Ray White apologises after introducing a ‘Tenant of the Month’ award
A major Australian real estate agency has apologised after one of its offices introduced a ‘Tenant of the Month’ award, prompting widespread criticism from tenants who found it ‘demeaning’.
To qualify for the award, Ray White tenants had to consistently pay rent on time, keep the property in good condition and be “pleasant” to be around.
However, the award has been widely criticised. Tenant rights activist Jordan van den Lamb, for example, called the award ‘condescending’.
“Tenants don’t have to compete with each other to survive, and that’s exactly what this price seems to encourage people to do,” he said.
‘Housing is a human right and you don’t have to be nice.’
Mr Van den Lamb believes that the agency’s emphasis on being ‘pleasant’ can deter tenants from complaining when repairs are needed.
“Officers often view unpleasantness as a request for simple repairs,” he said.
“They say you should keep your mouth shut.”
The post (pictured) which sparked anger among many Australians, who found it ‘demeaning’ and ‘derogatory’
A spokesperson for Ray White apologized for any offensiveness the award caused.
“We value all of our tenants and always strive to create a respectful and inclusive community,” they told Daily Mail Australia.
Ray White is a franchise network with 1,000 offices and 13,000 members.
A spokesperson for the tenants’ association said the property sector needs to treat tenants with more respect.
“We pay tens of thousands of dollars a year in rent, and we should expect a level of service and respect that reflects that, not an arbitrary statement that we are a pleasure to do business with.”
Mr van den Lamb said the current situation for tenants is extremely difficult and more needs to be done to protect tenants.
“People can’t pay the rent,” he said.
His comments come as national rental prices remained flat at $600 per week for the June 2024 quarter, up 9.1 per cent, or $50 more, on the same period last year, according to REA Group’s PropTrack Rental Report for June.
The number of new rental properties listed on Realestate.com.au was down 4.7 percent in June compared to a year earlier, the lowest number since 2010.
While total listings rose more than 10 percent in the second quarter, conditions remained tight, with total inventory down 4.4 percent year-over-year.
Sydney performed worst in the second quarter as renters faced the lowest supply of available homes in more than a decade. The number of new rental properties fell by 2.8 percent and total rents fell by 4.8 percent.
Despite a rise in the vacancy rate to 1.7 percent, median advertised rents in Sydney rose by $60 to the highest level in the United States at $740 per week.
Things weren’t much better for regional renters in New South Wales, with the number of properties available to rent falling by 19 per cent over the year, resulting in fiercer competition between potential tenants.
The supply of rental properties in Melbourne remained tight in June, as new listings fell by 16.8 percent over the year, but overall supply remained broadly flat.
The rental vacancy rate rose by 0.34 per cent in the quarter, reaching a 12-month high of 1.5 per cent. However, this also meant that median rents rose to $575 per week, up $55 on a year earlier.
While rental prices in regional Victoria fell and the number of new and total listings decreased, prices remained unchanged at $450 per week.
The number of new rental properties listed on Realestate.com.au was down 4.7 percent in June year-on-year, the lowest level in June since 2010.
Renters in Brisbane were given a brighter outlook as market conditions improved in the second quarter, increasing the supply and number of rental properties while reducing competition.
The vacancy rate rose to 1.2 per cent in the quarter and median rents for both Brisbane and regional Queensland were $620 per week.
Adelaide and Perth saw rental supply increase and rents also rose as conditions in both markets eased.
The average rent for Adelaide rose to $570 in the second quarter, while the advertised average rent for Perth was $650.
Canberra rental prices remained flat at $600 in the year to June despite tighter supply and growing demand.