About | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline
LOG IN
LOG IN

7 Flinders J. L. Reform 27 (2003-2004)
Tenant Lists, Tenant Risks: Rental Databases and Housing Policy in Australia

handle is hein.journals/flinlj7 and id is 41 raw text is: TENANT LISTS, TENANT RISKS: RENTAL DATABASES AND HOUSING POLICY IN AUSTRALIA TIM SEELIGt I INTRODUCTION Rental or tenancy databases (the terms will be used interchangeably here) are a relatively new phenomenon in the Australian private rental market, but there are signs that they may have a dramatic impact on the housing opportunities for many renters. During the last decade, tenancy databases in the private rental market have received growing attention in the rental community, particularly in Queensland (Seelig 1997, 1998; The Age 1997; Gregory 2001). These databases keep records about large numbers of tenants, and are designed to assist estate agents and property managers to screen out prospective tenants with poor rental histories. As the private sector is expected to play a greater role in providing long term housing for low-income consumers' households (Dalton and Maher 1996; Wulff 1997; ACOSS 1998), the issue of tenant databases is likely to have mounting significance for housing policy. This paper seeks to provide an opportunity to undertake critical reflection on some of the key issues concerning rental databases, and the prospects for further research into their activities and effects. A number of issues relating to the existence and operation of rental or tenancy databases are examined. These include what tenant databases are and how they operate, a discussion of some possible problems arising from them and the social consequences that might ensue from their operation. Contemporary events in Queensland are used to highlight many of these issues, although most of them will no doubt apply nationally. The paper aims to emphasise the need to look beyond issues of privacy and operational regulation, and to move towards conceptualising the issues vis-A-vis housing and social policy. The paper draws heavily on past and new research into private rental housing issues in Queensland which has incorporated tenant databases and the broader private rental market (Seelig 1997, forthcoming). The Queensland Department of Housing's recent work with the Queensland AHURI Research Centre in t Tim Seelig is the Senior Research Officer in the Housing Policy and Research Section of the Queensland Department of Housing. He has also just completed his PhD Thesis on the political economy of private rental housing in Brisbane. The views and opinions expressed in this paper are those of the author, and do not necessary represent the views of the Queensland Department of Housing.

What Is HeinOnline?

HeinOnline is a subscription-based resource containing thousands of academic and legal journals from inception; complete coverage of government documents such as U.S. Statutes at Large, U.S. Code, Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations, U.S. Reports, and much more. Documents are image-based, fully searchable PDFs with the authority of print combined with the accessibility of a user-friendly and powerful database. For more information, request a quote or trial for your organization below.



Short-term subscription options include 24 hours, 48 hours, or 1 week to HeinOnline.

Purchase Access

Contact us for annual subscription options:

Contact Us

Already a HeinOnline Subscriber?

Log In

profiles profiles most