Funding for Older Persons Tenancy Service given the boot

Nicola TrotmanNov 20, 2013

From December, the Tenants Advice and Advocacy Program will no longer fund the Older Persons Tenancy Service, a resource service for older tenants.

The New South Wales Fair Trading advises that TAAP will continue to assist older tenants and park residents, but OPTS tenant advocate Dr. Robert Mowbray says significant gaps will be left.

Mowbray says the complex casework OPTS previously did will be missing, as will direct services on older persons issues such as dementia and hoarding.

“This is a real concern. The changing demographics of renters shows an increasing number of older persons living in the private rental market

“Direct services generally, with no additional funding, will not be able to provide the same level of support with complex casework,” says Mowbray.

The TAAP provides funding to incorporated not-for-profit organisations for the operation of tenancy advice and advocacy services to residential tenants throughout New South Wales

The program currently has $9.26 million per annum.

ntrotman@propertyobserver.com.au

Nicola Trotman

With a penchant for the written word, Nicola has built a career doing just this – now Creative Director at thriving Melbourne-based PR agency, Greenpoint Media.