A landmark former orphanage site in Surrey Hills could be transformed into a new residential community under plans lodged by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/antipodean-land-developments">Antipodean Land Developments</a> that would deliver 76 apartments and townhouses while restoring some of the suburb's most significant heritage buildings.

The burgeoninng Melbourne-based developer has submitted plans for the 9,158 sqm site at 1 Kent Road and 24 Durham Road, home to the former St Joseph's Home for Destitute Children, a historic institutional complex dating back to the late 19th century. The proposal seeks to adaptively reuse several heritage buildings while introducing two new four-storey residential buildings set within extensive landscaped grounds.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/woods-bagot">Woods Bagot</a> and Kerstin Thompson Architects, the project has been conceived as a contemporary residential village embedded within a restored heritage precinct. The development team describes the design approach as "The Village in the Garden," with new buildings positioned among mature landscaping by OCULUS and significant heritage structures.

<img alt="First look: Antipodean Land Developments plans heritage-led apartment community in Surrey Hills" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="44ec8c1b-c0b6-44ae-859e-5811b3e6a023" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%281%29.png?VersionId=p.p1_KFh4iQoV4nisdnPfQBAsWNi7m79" />

The proposal would deliver 76 dwellings comprising a mix of apartments and duplex-style residences, significantly increasing housing supply on one of the largest privately held residential landholdings in Surrey Hills. The development includes 127 car spaces, 24 bicycle spaces and more than 1,000 sqm of communal amenity, with the existing chapel building earmarked for conversion into resident facilities.

According to the planning submission, the project centres on the restoration and adaptive reuse of the site's most significant heritage assets, including the original c.1889 St Joseph's building, the chapel designed by architect Augustus Andrew Fritsch, and the historic brick perimeter walls and entry gates. The proposal also incorporates the retention of other contributory buildings including the former infirmary and school building.

Tract Consultants, in the planning report accompanying the application, said the scheme had been shaped through extensive heritage analysis and design development.

"The shared vision for the Site by the project team has culminated in a scheme which successfully breathes life back into a historic site while delivering upon the objectives of Victoria's Housing Statement in a carefully curated and contextually responsive manner."

<img alt="First look: Antipodean Land Developments plans heritage-led apartment community in Surrey Hills" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7263b7d8-95ea-400f-9531-6ca7d22c3c33" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%282%29.png?VersionId=4cR1tiWOsDpgxEOwZi5vVFcyvvOsYkIE" />

The proposal is being assessed under Victoria's Significant Residential Development with Affordable Housing pathway. As part of the application, three per cent of the project's residential development cost would be contributed to the Social Housing Growth Fund. The development would also provide a diverse mix of one, two and three-bedroom residences targeting a broader range of buyers than typically found in Surrey Hills' detached housing market.

Sustainability initiatives include an anticipated 66 per cent BESS score, natural cross-ventilation to 80 per cent of apartments, 28 per cent deep soil landscaping and a canopy cover outcome exceeding local planning requirements. The proposal also sets aside more than 1,083 sqm for communal indoor and outdoor resident amenity spaces.

<img alt="First look: Antipodean Land Developments plans heritage-led apartment community in Surrey Hills" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="33fad46f-fe26-4d0a-acfd-6b776e1c6a3d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Untitled%20design.png?VersionId=D9F6WVSyYCtGvSUmith35LRp6R7PQkw_" />

Planning documents describe the property as one of the largest underutilised residential sites in Surrey Hills, arguing it presents a rare opportunity to introduce "missing middle" housing in an established inner-eastern suburb while preserving and revitalising a significant heritage precinct.

Antipodean Land Developments has built a reputation for design-focused residential projects across Melbourne, particularly in the medium-density sector. Previous developments include Neighbourhood in Brunswick East, delivered with Breathe Architecture, and Balfe Park Lane, designed by Kerstin Thompson Architects.

They've been very active in site acquisition as they build out their future development pipeline. They recently launched Thornubury House, 45 apartments above a mix of commercial, retail, and food and beverage tenancies, and have plans for a boutique project in Fitzroy and another <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/vic/antipodean-plan-apartments-for-deepdenes-missing-middle-on-whitehorse-road">"missing middle" project</a> on Deepdene's Whitehorse Road.

Joel Robinson

First look: Antipodean Land Developments plans heritage-led apartment community in Surrey Hills

Developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/auyin-property-development">Auyin</a> is the latest to turn to the Victorian Government's Development Facilitation Program in an effort to secure approval for its long-planned, mixed-use project in Elsternwick.

In 2018, Auyin lodged plans with Glen Eira City Council for a 14-storey building, however Council approved a reduced eight-storey scheme. A subsequent VCAT appeal in 2019 upheld the eight-storey height limit.

The project was later amended to nine storeys, but Auyin is now seeking to revive something closer to its original vision. The developer argues that the planning context has evolved significantly over the past decade, particularly within the Elsternwick Activity Centre, where higher-density development has increasingly been encouraged along Glen Huntly Road.

The proposal would transform the 1,239 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/7-12-horne-street-elsternwick-vic-3185">7-15 Horne Street</a>, opposite Elsternwick Railway Station, into a 13-storey residential and retail development designed by CBG Architects, with 40 apartments

The site currently comprises three commercial properties.

<img alt="First look: 13-storey mixed-use tower planned for Elsternwick activity centre" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5f465dd4-509b-4082-a669-0253b313914b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/elsternwick%20podium.png?VersionId=72frWi0SmQ5AVJ3ARRhX5ILUYObhTm7x" />

The proposed apartment mix comprises 25 two-bedroom and 15 three-bedroom residences above 200 sqm of retail space at ground level. Residents would have access to a 90 sqm wellness facility, a 351 sqm communal indoor and outdoor terrace on the third level, and extensive landscaped areas throughout the development. A publicly accessible 135 sqm plaza would be created on the north-east corner of the site, providing seating, landscaping, and a new gathering space adjoining Horne Street.

The design adopts a four-storey podium that references the finer-grain character of the surrounding streetscape, with the upper tower recessed behind generous setbacks on all boundaries.

<img alt="First look: 13-storey mixed-use tower planned for Elsternwick activity centre" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e637e763-2abc-4c34-a0aa-5c7ad36fae18" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/elsternwick%20open.png?VersionId=J1AoOpZgTyaF.KeeFSX6lMjEScX8KKRi" />

A key element of the proposal is the reconfiguration and widening of the surrounding laneways. Vehicle access would be retained from Lois Lane, with upgraded pedestrian connections linking Ross Street and Horne Street. The development would provide 58 residential car spaces, two retail car spaces, and 52 bicycle spaces across two basement levels and ground-floor facilities.

Architecturally, the building draws inspiration from the established character of Elsternwick Village. The façade combines dark charcoal brickwork, textured concrete, bronze-toned metal detailing, and extensive planting integrated into podium and tower levels. The design also incorporates a chamfered corner treatment and publicly accessible plaza intended to strengthen pedestrian activity around the station precinct.

Elsternwick's last new development completion was&nbsp;EVA Elsternwick by Pitard late last year. <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/milieu-property">Milieu</a> is working away on its nature-led neighbourhood, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/elsternwick-gardens-by-milieu-8-gordon-street-elsternwick-vic-3185">Elsternwick Gardens</a>, on Gordon Street, with its first stage expected to complete next year.

First look: Auyin seeks mixed-use apartment project in growing Elsternwick Activity Centre

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/otium-parkdale-123-125-como-parade-east-parkdale-vic-3195">Otium Parkdale</a>, the 13-residence boutique development by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/huxtable-property">Huxtable Property</a>, has entered its final stages of delivery, with completion expected within the coming month and more than half of the residences sold.

The Como Parade East project is nearing the finish line at a time when opportunities to purchase new apartments in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/parkdale-vic-3195">Parkdale</a> remain exceptionally limited. Fewer than 10 per cent of dwellings in the bayside suburb are apartments, making developments like Otium a relatively rare addition to a market traditionally dominated by detached housing.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134974 project_image_fid=5427]

The three-level development comprises 13 residences, including ten two-bedroom apartments and three larger three-bedroom homes, all positioned above a secure basement car park.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/almeida-architects">Almeida Architects</a> with a strong connection to its coastal surroundings, Otium combines red brick, exposed concrete and dark metal detailing with integrated landscaping and greenery. Expansive glazing, generous balconies and terraces have been incorporated throughout the design to maximise natural light and reinforce indoor-outdoor living.

Inside, the residences feature engineered European oak flooring, natural and reconstituted stone benchtops, Bosch kitchen appliances, ducted heating and cooling, lift access and secure entry systems. The larger three-bedroom residences on the upper level have been designed with house-like proportions, while the two-bedroom apartments prioritise functionality, flexibility and low-maintenance living.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134974 project_image_fid=5421]

The project is now in its final stages, with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/labco">Labco</a> completing the remaining landscaping and external finishing works following the completion of the residences' interiors.

Otium's location within the heart of Parkdale continues to underpin its appeal. Residents will be just steps from local cafés, restaurants, shops and the newly elevated Parkdale Station, while the beach is less than a kilometre away.

With the project tracking ahead of schedule, buyers can currently secure a residence with a five per cent deposit and benefit from settlement terms of up to eight months. The advanced stage of construction also provides buyers with the opportunity to walk through the near-complete residences and experience the quality and finishes firsthand ahead of completion.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134974]

Otium Parkdale enters final month before completion as rare apartment opportunity nears sellout

A new boutique apartment development is entering the market in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/chermside-qld-4032">Chermside</a>, with Brisbane-based developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/ausdev">Ausdev</a> bringing 33 residences to a well-connected pocket of Brisbane's north.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/parkdrive-apartments-chermside-25-sammells-drive-chermside-qld-4032">Parkdrive Apartments</a>, at 25 Sammells Drive, will comprise a mix of one- and two-bedroom residences positioned within walking distance of Westfield Chermside, The Prince Charles Hospital, and Bradbury Park.

Established in 1989, Ausdev has a long-standing presence across both development and construction, with Parkdrive Apartments representing its latest residential project in Brisbane's northern suburbs.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152125 project_image_fid=363778]

The development has been designed around open-plan living and natural light, with residences featuring stone benchtops, timber cabinetry, BOSCH appliances, and private balconies that extend the living areas outdoors.

Kitchens are positioned as the centrepiece of the homes, incorporating natural material palettes and integrated appliances, while bathrooms have been designed with a focus on functionality and understated finishes.

Residents will have access to a communal barbecue and entertaining area on Level 3, providing shared outdoor space within the development. Secure parking and lift access are also incorporated into the building.

The project will deliver a limited collection of 33 apartments, with one-bedroom residences priced from $749,000.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152125 project_image_fid=363782]

Beyond the building itself, the location places residents within easy reach of several of Chermside's key amenities. Bradbury Park is around 350 metres away, while Westfield Chermside is approximately 1.3 kilometres from the site. The Prince Charles Hospital is located within 750 metres, and the Chermside Bus Interchange is around 1.5 kilometres away, providing connections across Brisbane.

Parkdrive Apartments adds to the growing residential pipeline in Chermside, a suburb that continues to evolve as a major retail, healthcare, and transport hub for Brisbane's north.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152125]

Ausdev introduces boutique Parkdrive Apartments to Chermside's growing centre

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/skymark-group">Skymark</a>'s boutique Cronulla development Solis has secured a 10-year Latent Defects Insurance policy through Resilience Insurance, providing buyers of the 16-residence building on Ewos Parade with structural and waterproofing protection that extends a decade beyond the building's completion.

Currently under construction and due for completion in late 2027, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/solis-cronulla-8-ewos-parade-cronulla-nsw-2230">Solis</a> is one of a small number of new developments in the Sutherland Shire to carry Resilience LDI coverage, a distinction that carries increasing weight as buyer confidence in the off-the-plan sector continues to be shaped by how developers stand behind their product.

Latent Defects Insurance, which entered the Australian market in 2022 when Resilience Insurance was approved to offer the cover, protects buyers against major structural or waterproofing defects for ten years post-completion. Unlike traditional statutory warranties, it operates as a first-resort policy, if a covered defect arises, the insurer responds directly, without the buyer needing to pursue the builder or developer through a lengthy claims process.

Resilience Insurance CEO Corey Nugent has noted that the product addresses something fundamental to the new apartment market.

"The overarching feedback from prospective buyers in the new development space is that they want more confidence and assurances around the quality of the build," Nugent says.

"Resilience Insurance Latent Defects Insurance not only gives them complete peace of mind for 10 years, but it shows the developer they are buying from is standing by their product."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370898]

For Solis, the Resilience LDI policy adds a meaningful layer of accountability to an already considered project. The development comprises nine two-bedroom and seven three-bedroom residences, including one dual-level three-bedroom apartment, across a five-storey building on Ewos Parade, positioned between Shelly Beach and South Cronulla.

Garden apartments connect directly to private landscaped courtyards, while upper-level homes capture beach views to the east from level four and above.&nbsp;

All 16 residences include at least one balcony or courtyard, and select apartments on the upper floors feature bar areas and secondary flexible living spaces.

Hiba Sander, Managing Director of Skymark, says Solis offers a rare balance, nestled between the quiet beauty of secluded beaches and the lively charm of South Cronulla's esplanade.

"It's a place to choose your pace and live gracefully, seaside'," Sander says.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370900]

The architecture, designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/ida-design-group">IDA Design Group</a>'s Michael Trinh, draws from the natural erosion patterns of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/cronulla-nsw-2230">Cronulla</a>'s sandstone headlands, translating the organic forms of the coastline into soft curves, pavilion-style massing, and a material palette chosen for longevity in a salt-tinged environment.&nbsp;

Textured natural stone, soft renders, and timber-look battens reference the tones of the surrounding cliffs, while the building has been oriented to maximise natural light and passive ventilation, with primary living spaces facing north and east to capture morning sun and sea breezes.

"At Solis, our aim was to create architecture that feels quietly confident, grounded in natural materials like stone and timber, and elevated by light and landscape," Trinh says.&nbsp;

"The buildings are designed to sit gently within their coastal surrounds, with expansive glazing and abundant greenery creating a seamless dialogue between inside and out."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370897]

Interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/hot-black">Hot Black</a> carry the same material language through to every room. Kitchens feature integrated Gaggenau appliances, sculpted stone benchtops, and Lo &amp; Co joinery, while bathrooms feature natural stone, timber, and brushed metal finishes.&nbsp;

Hot Black Founder and Design Director Sophie Safrin describes the intent as one of considered restraint: "At Solis, every detail has been thoughtfully considered to create a timeless coastal retreat, calm, refined, and effortlessly liveable. From natural finishes to seamless indoor-outdoor flow, Solis offers a quiet elegance that's deeply connected to its surroundings.

The landscape, designed by Julian Brady of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/sitedesignstudios">Site Design Studios</a>, treats green space as an integral part of the resident experience rather than an afterthought.&nbsp;

"Gentle curves and layered native plantings mirror the ebb and flow of the ocean," Julian Brady says, "creating a serene connection between architecture and place."&nbsp;

Coco Republic has provided bespoke furniture packages tailored to the project's coastal palette.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370899]

Skymark has an established track record in the Sutherland Shire, with a portfolio spanning Cronulla, Woolooware and Burraneer that includes Isla, Sylva, Bask, Shells, Sula and Mist. Securing LDI on Solis reflects a broader shift in how the developer is positioning its buildings to buyers, at a time when Resilience Insurance expects the policy to become mandatory in New South Wales by 2028.

Sales at Solis are launching soon through Ray White Projects, with an official event scheduled for 11 June. Enquire for more information.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150499]

Skymark takes out 10-year Resilience Insurance LDI at Solis Cronulla

Rent

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GUEST OBSERVATION
In the weeks after the 2019 federal election, the Sydney Morning Herald <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/federal-election-2019/voter-turnout-at-record-low-after-young-people-disengage-20190530-p51sol" target="_blank">reported</a> that the turn-out of voters was the lowest since the introduction of compulsory voting in 1925.
It also reported there had been high rates of absenteeism of young voters who, while willing to participate in the recent marriage equality survey, had “turned their back on democracy” in the federal election.
The article continues a narrative about a decline in voter participation, which the federal parliamentary Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters (JSCEM) review of the the 2016 election <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Joint/Electoral_Matters/2016Election/2016_election_report/section?id=committees%2freportjnt%2f024085%2f26059" target="_blank">described</a> it as a “concerning trend”.
But it turns out the SMH report – which was based on the actual vote count undertaken by the Australian Electoral Commission – got it wrong, because it reported on the 2019 result before the count had been completed. In fact, voter participation in 2019 was actually 0.88% <a href="https://tallyroom.aec.gov.au/HouseTurnoutByState-24310.htm" target="_blank">higher</a> than in 2016.
Despite this, the national participation rate hasn’t returned to the 95% rate achieved in 2007. So what’s behind the apparent decline in civic duty?
Political disengagement is one factor, but data show that low turn-out also happens in seats with a high proportion of Indigenous people, and seats with a high proportion of renters.
<h2>Electorates with the lowest participation</h2>
Looking at the participation performance of individual federal electorates can show what might be happening.
<iframe style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/TlxVN/1/" frameborder="0" width="100%" height="400"></iframe>
Among the litany of divisions with the lowest participation rates, two distinct electorate clusters emerge of what might be thought of as under-performing seats.
By far the most consistent under-performing seats are remote regional districts including Lingiari and Solomon (Northern Territory), Durack (Western Australia and previously known as Kalgoorlie) and Leichhardt (Queensland).
These are also the four federal seats with the highest proportion of voters who identify as Indigenous, according to the <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://quickstats.censusdata.abs.gov.au/census_services/getproduct/census/2016/quickstat/036" target="_blank">2016 Australian census</a>. In the case of Lingiari, 44.5% of residents identified as being Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders, 17.9% in Durack, 9% in Solomon and 6% in Leichhardt.
The next cluster of persistent under-performing seats are inner urban divisions whose residents are among the best educated and most affluent in the nation. This includes Sydney, Wentworth, Melbourne and Melbourne Ports (these days known as Macnamara).
They are also characterised by their comparative youthfulness. These are seats that have significantly larger proportions of citizens in the 19 to 39 year age groups than the national age distribution and, indeed, seats like Lingiari and Durack.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/286557/original/file-20190801-169676-ojlks.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/286557/original/file-20190801-169676-ojlks.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Based on data from the Australian Electoral Commission. Author provided
The relatively low turn-out rate and youthfulness of these inner urban electorates supports the argument that young people are enrolling, but not voting.
While this might be the case, it’s also true that the rate of participation in the inner urban cluster of seats is much stronger than for the remote rural cluster.
In short, lower election turn-out rates tend to be associated more with seats with comparatively higher proportions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voters than with youthful electoral districts.
This is an interesting aspect to electoral behaviour, especially when there is so much debate about how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders could be given greater input to the political process by way of reforming the Australian constitution.
<h2>The role of renting</h2>
These two clusters of seats could not be more different from each other. And yet they do share a significant socioeconomic characteristic.
Both the inner urban and remote seat clusters are characterised by the comparatively large number of citizens with rented, rather than purchased, accommodation.
The 2016 census found that slightly more than 30% of Australians were renters. In contrast, 60% of residents in the seat of Sydney and 52.9% of residents in Lingiari were renting.
With renting comes the possibility of citizens changing their residential address and this, in turn, can make it difficult to maintain the electoral roll.
<iframe style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/oOJ8N/1/" frameborder="0" width="100%" height="400"></iframe>
<h2>A political crisis?</h2>
Are these trends a sign of a political crisis, or are they simply “concerning” (to borrow from the <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Joint/Electoral_Matters/2016Election/2016_election_report/section?id=committees%2freportjnt%2f024085%2f26059" target="_blank">JSCEM report</a>)?
If the data indicates disengagement, it’s doing so at a fairly minimal rate. And at the last election, attendance rates improved compared with the previous election.
What’s more, the correlation of renters to under-performing electoral districts might even indicate that the problem is administrative rather than the product of civil disobedience.
Having said that, if the government feels the need to address the turn-out rate, they can use coercive powers to reinforce compulsory voting. This would involve imposing bigger fines for those who do not turn up to vote.
The existing legislation allows for a significant fine to apply (one penalty unit) when a voter hasn’t turned up. But the law as it currently stands does allow a wide range of excuses to permit a much less <a href="http://www8.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/legis/cth/consol_act/cea1918233/s245">onerous sanction</a> of a A$20 fine.
Were the parliament to be truly concerned about participation it could seek to alter the act and strengthen the hand of the AEC.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/120494/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;">
Nick Economou, Senior Lecturer, School of Political and Social Inquiry, Monash University
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/renters-hold-the-key-to-low-voter-turn-out-at-federal-elections-120494" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Renters hold the key to low voter turn-out at federal elections

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EXPERT OBSERVER
While media obsesses over price data as the only market measure worth talking about, the forgotten barometer is residential rentals.
Not only does mainstream media misunderstand and misinterpret median price data, but it largely overlooks the fundamental importance of what’s happening in the rental markets of our major cities. 
Vacancy rates and rental growth figures are important because they’re often a pointer to future rises in dwelling prices.
Before Sydney got on its growth path with price rises, it had a couple of years of strong growth in rents. Hobart, currently the price growth leader in capital city Australia, also had notable growth in rentals before prices started to rise. 
According to the latest SQM Research figures, Hobart still has the lowest vacancy rate among the cities and it’s still delivering significant rental growth alongside the price growth - still rising in double digits, according to some (but not all) research sources).
This is a pattern that, according to the research, is common - rents rise before prices do. This makes patterns with vacancies and rents worth noting.
So I’ve looked at the latest rental data from two key sources, Domain and SQM Research.
The market leader is a toss-up between Canberra and Hobart. This makes sense when you understand that these two cities have stood out for the past couple of years as the places with the tightest rental markets, both with vacancy rates well below 1 percent.
In the national capital, both Domain and SQM have house rents rising between 8 and 9 percent in annual terms, while apartments rents are up 7 percent (Domain) or 5 percent (SQM).
In Hobart, the two research sources agree that rents have risen markedly for both houses and apartments, but the numbers are quite different. Domain has rents up 11 percent for houses and 9 percent for apartments; SQM’s growth figures are 5 percent for houses and 14 percent for units.
So it’s pretty clear-cut. Canberra and Hobart have been the leading cities for low vacancies and strongly rising rentals.
But what is the third-ranked city in those terms? The answer is the city no one (other than me) ever talks about, Adelaide.
Adelaide’s vacancy rate has been hovering around 1 percent, according to recent SQM figures. Some sectors of the Adelaide market, such as the City of Marion, have vacancy rates closer to 0.5 percent.
And recently the SA capital has been producing solid rental growth figures. Domain records annual growth of 4.2 percent for houses and just under 2 percent for apartments, while SQM reports around 3 percent for houses and 3.4 percent for apartments.
Adelaide’s growth seems fairly moderate but, to put it in perspective, the two research sources have Sydney rents stagnating or falling. SQM, for example, has Sydney house rents down 3.6 percent and apartments falling 1.2 percent in annual terms.
In Brisbane, where vacancy rates have been high (although now trending downwards), rents have been fairly stagnant over the past year.
In Darwin, where vacancy rates have been elevated for several years, Domain has house rents down almost 4 percent and SQM records a reduction of close to 6 percent.
Domain records no change in Perth rents for both houses and apartments, although SQM suggests house rents are showing early signs of a return to growth - which would correlate to steadily improving figures on vacancy rates.
Melbourne’s rental data is moderate only, with both sources suggesting rises of 2-3 percent in the past 12 months.
So where do the vacancy/rental trends point us, in terms of predicting future growth in prices. I would suggest the best answers (particularly when considered alongside other evidence) are Adelaide, Canberra and Perth.
Canberra has very low vacancies and strongly rising rents. It also has a strong local economy and rising sales activity. Its price growth, currently solid but moderate, should improve. The top end of the market is already rising.
Adelaide has low vacancies and improving rental growth. It also has an improving local economy and a busy sales market. Price performance, already strong in the million-dollar suburbs, should escalate.
And Perth, where rents and prices have been falling in recent years, is poised to rise. Its vacancies are trending steadily downwards, there’s evidence of rising leasing activity and the first signs of a return to rental growth. As the state economy improves, sales activity is steadily rising - and price growth is already happening in the top end suburbs.
Terry Ryder is the founder of hotspotting.com.au
<a href="mailto:%20&lt;script%20type='text/javascript'&gt;%20%5Cn%20&lt;/script&gt;&lt;script%20type='text/javascript'&gt;%20%20&lt;/script&gt;This%20email%20address%20is%20being%20protected%20from%20spambots.%20You%20need%20JavaScript%20enabled%20to%20view%20it.%20&lt;script%20type='text/javascript'&gt;%20%20&lt;/script&gt;"></a><a href="https://mailto:ryder@hotspotting.com.au">ryder@hotspotting.com.au</a>
twitter.com/hotspotting
 
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terryryder-YECXbqmri2

Top three Australian cities for rental growth and lowest vacancies: Hotspotting's Terry Ryder

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GUEST OBSERVATION
One in every four Australian households rents, and it’s not just those on low incomes.
A new <a href="http://bcec.edu.au/publications/the-private-rental-sector-in-australia/" target="_blank">nationally representative survey of 3,182 renters</a>, funded by the Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre, finds that while 60% of renting households have a household incomes below A$78,000, 30% are on incomes of more than A$100,000.
Although many households on low incomes and those headed by single parents are undoubtedly struggling to meet rental costs, those on moderate or higher incomes are generally positive about the experience.
Many of us rent
Despite its reputation as a nation of homeowners, Australia has the <a href="https://www.ahuri.edu.au/news-and-media/news/how-does-australias-private-rental-sector-compare-with-the-rest-of-the-world" target="_blank">10th largest private rental sector</a> in the 37 nations that make up the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.
<hr>
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/238105/original/file-20180926-48662-17vb4s4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
Comparison of international private rental sectors. OECD Housing tenure distribution 2014 or later. ABS Census data 2016
<hr>
Six in ten renters do it because they can’t afford to do anything else. The rest rent by choice.
Most are happy with what they rent
Perceptions of dwelling quality are positive with only 6% reporting that their dwelling is in a poor or terrible condition. 81% report a good or excellent relationship with their landlord.
Add a property manager into the mix and this falls to a still respectable 69%. Fewer than than 5% of respondents reported a poor or terrible relationship.
Around half of respondents claim to have a good to full understanding of their rights as tenants.
<hr>
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/239827/original/file-20181008-72124-1pp2m3g.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/239827/original/file-20181008-72124-1pp2m3g.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Relationship with property manager or landlord. <a class="source" href="http://bcec.edu.au/publications/the-private-rental-sector-in-australia/" target="_blank">Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre 2018 Private Rental Sector Survey.</a>, Author provided
<hr>
Overall, when asked whether their rental property felt like home, just over 60% reported it did, with less than 20% being negative about their experience.
The longer a tenant lives in a rental dwelling, the more it feels like home, highlighting the importance of security of tenure.
Generally, levels of satisfaction with the sector are high given the proportion of tenants who would rather be owners.
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<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/238107/original/file-20180926-48650-1piofsz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
Satisfaction with the private rental sector by age group. Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre Private Rental Sector Survey
<hr>
Security of tenure matters
Security of tenure is a <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-24/renting-the-insecurity-of-private-tenants-and-how-they-manage-it/8554238" target="_blank">major concern of private renters</a>.
Two thirds of renters have been in their current property for less than three years. Almost 40% have rented four or more properties during their time as renters.
While two thirds of moves are by choice, around one third are forced with the primary reason being the owner selling the property.
Moves are stressful, expensive and disruptive, particularly for households with children. Around half of all renters say they would gladly choose to sign a lease longer than 12 months if given the option because it would offer greater security and a stronger sense of home.
As does discrimination
One in five renters report some form of discrimination when applying for rental properties.
Those households most likely to suffer from <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-08-17/racism-in-the-rental-sector-wa/10129418" target="_blank">discrimination</a> are single parents with children.
In September <a href="https://engage.vic.gov.au/fairersaferhousing" target="_blank">Victoria passed landmark leglislation</a> intended to improve the rights of renters.
Some important issues addressed in the legislation are highlighted in the BankWest Curtin Economics Centre report which found the vast majority of respondents are on short-term leases (12 months or less).
NSW is following suit, although, disappointingly, <a href="https://theconversation.com/an-open-letter-on-rental-housing-reform-103825" target="_blank">it does not plan to outlaw no-grounds evictions</a>.
And rent can be expensive
The typical proportion of gross income spent on rent is 28%, with almost half of all renters paying more than 30%, a figure that rises to 63% for renters over 55.
One in seven renters are paying more than 60% of their income in rent.
When asked the reasons for such high rental payments, almost six in ten report being forced to pay that much through a lack of available alternatives.
Commonwealth rent assistance was regarded as important or very important by nine out of ten of those receiving it.
What we could do to help
One of the best ways to make rent more affordable would be to reintroduce a subsidised rental scheme that offered a financial incentive for developers to invest in housing that would be leased to low-income households at below-market rents along the lines of the <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.ahuri.edu.au/research/final-reports/267" target="_blank">National Rental Affordability Scheme</a> by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in 2008.
It was wound up by his successor Tony Abbott in 2014.
Workable <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/news/how-buildtorent-could-solve-australias-housing-woes-as-first-developments-near-20180703-h12758-750684/" target="_blank">build to rent</a> schemes could also help boost supply and security of tenure, and the negative gearing and capital gains tax concessions tax available to mum and dad investors could be tied to the delivery of long–term, below market rental dwellings.
Our survey finds the private rental market is performing quite well for those on moderate to high incomes. But not for those on low incomes who will never access home ownership and need secure long term tenure.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/103890/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;">
Steven Rowley, Director, Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute, Curtin Research Centre, Curtin University
Amity James, Lecturer, School of Economic, Finance and Property, Curtin University
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/just-like-home-new-survey-finds-most-renters-enjoy-renting-although-for-many-its-expensive-103890" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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New survey finds most renters enjoy renting, although for many it’s expensive

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GUEST OBSERVATION
The New South Wales government has introduced a bill to reform the Residential Tenancies Act. This act sets out the rights and responsibilities of landlords and tenants in private rental accommodation in NSW.
The bill’s proposed limit on rent increases to one in every 12 months is essential, as are the proposed minimum standards for rental accommodation. However, my ongoing research with single older women renting in Sydney points to an urgent need for a cap on the value of rent increases and for an end to “no grounds” eviction. Victoria adopted these measures earlier this month.
Reform is essential. Growing numbers of Australians rent their housing and increasing proportions are expected to rent long-term. This makes it essential that private rental housing meets the need that every person has for a secure and affordable home.
It’s getting harder for older renters
It is getting harder for older renters to find adequate, appropriate and secure housing. Older women – the focus of my work – are at particular risk. This is due to longer life expectancy, lower incomes across the life course, and less access to benefits like superannuation. Women also experience a greater loss of income and housing standard than men do after relationship breakdown, and are at greater risk of domestic violence.
Their stories point to the role of flaws in the Residential Tenancies Act in compounding housing insecurity.
Rising rents add to hardship
Rising rents were a problem for nearly all women I spoke with. They depleted women’s budgets, leaving little money to buy food or pay for utilities. Many relied on local charities for food and help to pay energy bills.
One woman described how she would add protein to her meal by buying a single chicken breast, slicing it thinly and freezing each piece separately to be defrosted over the next week or so. Another relied on vegetables the local greengrocer bundled and discounted before throwing out.
In winter, when heating bills mounted, she relied on a local church with a weekly food pantry. This food, donated by local supermarkets and community members, was frequently past its “best before” date. As a low-paid community worker living in an area with a significant number of disadvantaged families, she collected food alongside her clients.
Two women coped by moving into their cars. They subsisted on tins of food that they could hide in the car. At night they kept themselves safe by parking in familiar locations.
Living with substandard conditions
Rent rises also made it difficult to find appropriate housing. Affordable housing was often substandard. Many had difficulties getting landlords to agree to repairs.
One woman described how her rented unit began leaking. The leak was severe and lasted for nearly two years. In this time she lived with increasing mould and lost access to nearly 40% of her home. She sought repairs from the landlord, but only cautiously, because she was afraid of eviction.
When the leak was eventually fixed her rent went up 20%. That left her with only A$30 a week after rent, essential bills and transport. She couldn’t afford food and relied on local charities until she found cheaper housing in a distant, transport-poor suburb.
Another described a similar leak: "When it rained the water would come straight down into the doorway. And that was the only way you could get into the house […] it was in the house and even in the bedroom."
Despite this the owner increased the rent. The real estate agent notified her of the increase by letter, but distanced herself from repair requests when confronted in person stating: “Well, we can’t do anything [to fix the property] until the owner says we can.”
The agent helped the landlord to make more money from their investment, while illegally blocking this woman’s entitlements to secure and usable property. The impact on her capacity to take care of herself was significant. Living with the leak risked her health. However, challenging the landlord – pushing them to repair the leak – risked eviction.
Rethink the value of rental housing
These stories show the need to rethink how we value and regulate private rental housing. It is time that we recognise the fundamental role that housing plays in our ability to meet basic needs – for shelter, warmth, food and above all a sense of security and home.
When housing is too expensive, unsafe or inadequate, our capacity to meet our care needs deteriorates and our health suffers. For women in my research their capacity to age in place – and even to remain housed – was challenged.
This is not good for tenants or landlords. Although popular wisdom suggests tenants and landlords have different interests, they in fact have very similar concerns: both benefit from secure tenancies and rental properties that are well maintained and cared for.
The proposed amendments to the act are a good starting point.
Restrictions on the number of rent increases in a year are essential. However, the women in my research struggle not just because of the number of rent increases they face. They find themselves in precarious situations because of the size of the increases, which in some cases left them unable to afford necessities like food.
Minimum housing standards are also essential. The women in my research cannot begin to maintain their health or age well at home if their home leaks or does not meet other basic standards.
But perhaps more pressing is the need to end no grounds evictions. For women in my research, repair requests carried the risk of eviction. This left many afraid to ask for repairs. They lived in unhealthy and unsafe housing rather than risk eviction in a market with few affordable options.
Landlords in many areas can readily replace tenants. And an evicted older woman can easily end up living in her car.
Ending no grounds evictions will have no impact on landlords who do the right thing. They will still be able to terminate a lease on reasonable grounds such as renovating or moving into the property. It would, however, help put an end to retaliatory evictions, which in turn would support efforts to maintain minimum housing standards.
<hr>
This article is based on research findings presented in a talk by the author at an event, Fair for Everybody: Reforming Renting in NSW, hosted at Parliament House on Wednesday.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/103842/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;">
Emma Power, Senior Research Fellow, Geography and Urban Studies, Western Sydney University
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/life-as-an-older-renter-and-what-it-tells-us-about-the-urgent-need-for-tenancy-reform-103842" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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Life as an older renter, and what it tells us about the urgent need for tenancy reform

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Sydney house renters are targeting the beach.
Sydney vacancy rates have edged to a four year high, according to the REINSW.
The three most in demand suburbs for house renters on realestate.com.au in the second half of 2017 were North Narrabeen, Freshwater and Caringbah.
The median rental price for a three bedroom house in North Narrabeen is $800. The median for a two bedder would cost $650 a week.
A three bedroom home on <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-north+narrabeen-422899202" target="_blank">The Crescent</a> (above and below) recently leased at $750 a week. 
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2018/1/23/narra.jpg" alt="">
As for apartments, renters were seeking affordability in Sydney's west.
The most popular suburbs were Padstow, Concord and Lilyfield. 
Padstow's median rental price for a two bedroom apartment is $450.
A two bedroom <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-unit-nsw-padstow-422705270" target="_blank">Padstow Parade apartment</a> is available for $400 a week.
 
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jrobinson-rf4aSBido9

Where renters are looking in Sydney

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Leading retailer Solomon Lew has said landlords were offering cheaper rents to his rival international brands, while charging local brands unreasonable rents, as the company decided to exit from Melbourne's Bourke Street Mall because of what it said were high rents.
Retail groups say the decision highlights the pressing need for more retailers to speak out about the unreasonable request of retail landlords.
A few months back, fast-food chain SumoSalad too accused landlord Westfield of high rents and put two of its 20 companies into voluntary administration.
Earlier in the week, Lew and Premier Investments’ chief executive Mark McInnes spoke out about the tough rental conditions for local incumbents in shopping strips like the mall during its results presentation.
McInnes said the decision to close the Portmans and Just Jeans flagships in the Melbourne shopping strip came down to “unrealistic rent”, the SmartCompany quoted him as saying.
McInnes said the company would be closing the two flagship retail sites next month because retail landlords have not come to the table to discuss better deals. This is despite the fact it would cost landlords more in the long run to replace them as tenants in the spaces that they have leased for decades.
The lifestyle and fashion retailer, which operates Portmans, Just Jeans, Peter Alexander and Smiggle, clocked sales of $1.09 billion with net profit after tax of $105 million.
The company pointed to the incentives offered by landlords to international retailers to take up space in strips like the mall, suggesting that Premier Investments could exit more retail sites if things aren’t adjusted.
“Today, we announced that unless landlords cut us the same rental, and incentive deals they’re offering international competitors in the young fashion market, we may need to close many more Dotti stores. The cost to landlords of replacing us is far higher than if they solve for us,” McInnes said.
Separately, Lew and McInnes also spoke against unreasonable landlords on Ross Greenwood's show on 2GB.
“If they’re raising the rent to a level where it’s no longer viable, we are going to move on,” said Lew.
When Greenwood said if this meant that if "the landlords can’t come to the party with some sort of a deal… if there’s no deal, they’re gone,” Lew referred to landlords' unfair rental practices.
"You’d be offended if your competitors were offered rents that were two-thirds lower than your rent and you would be offended if they received a capital contribution for refurbishment and for building a new store,” he said.
“And that’s exactly what’s going on in the industry and so we’re taking a stance and unless it’s in the interests of our shareholders and the brand, we’re going to move on.”
But he said that it didn’t mean that the retailing giant will not open stores at other places.
McInnes echoed Lew on the show, saying the decision to close the Bourke St stores means that the company isn’t going to stand for that (landlords wooing international brands with lower rents).
“We’re walking away from $5 million of sales, but ultimately they’d be unprofitable sales because the landlord would not charge us a realistic rent,” he said.
McInnes pointed to the strength of the company's brands and said that some landlords did understand that “with a portfolio of 1,100 stores, we are one of the largest rent payers, if not the largest rent payer in Australia and they don’t want mass vacancies in their centres”.
He said some landlords were not being honest with their rents and turnover and Lew and Premier Investments was targeting these landlords.
McInnes went further, saying the company did not want to close stores but were forced to because landlords were unrealistic about rents.
“I guarantee that that landlord in Bourke Street, it will cost them millions of dollars in capital incentives to remake those stores and they will get far less rent than what we were paying.”
Meanwhile, he added that online sales had picked up in the past few months and “the customer is choosing that channel as a place to shop... and landlords have to accept that this is a change in their sales structure based on what customers want.”
Lew said that several retail businesses were running behind on their rents and landlords were not raising the rents for these.
On Myer’s performance, the former deputy chairman of Coles Myer said that in spite of the public float and two rounds of capital raising since 2015, the company’s value had eroded by almost $2 billion and it was now worth $600 million, so clearly its strategy was not working.
In terms of the business itself, he said Myer's moving to a concession model mean margins were down and it was also having problems with their own purchases.
"They look very poor… they look like opportunity shops and not like a Myer department store," said Lew. 
 
 
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jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

Unreasonable landlords offering global retailers better deal, says Solomon Lew

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Not just home prices, renting in Sydney is also becoming prohibitively expensive, with the median rental price soared $80 a month in May in the Harbour City.
The spike came as new supply fails to match demand from workers moving to the city, according to listings website Rent.com.au, The Australian reported.
Even Domain data suggests that Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney recorded the highest annual growth rates with May quarter median weekly asking house rents increasing by 6.4 per cent, 5 per cent and 4.8 per cent respectively over the same period last year.
Domain Group Chief Economist Dr Andrew Wilson wrote that annual rent increases were now surging ahead of incomes growth.
Sydney’s median rent was $570 a week in May, according to rent.com.au, with supply not keeping pace with the influx of people.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian had said earlier this year that housing affordability was a major focus of her government.
The surge in renting costs comes in spite of the new supply of both inner city apartments and outer suburban house and land projects.
Rent.com.au chief executive Greg Bader was quoted by The Australian that strong domestic and international migration to the city were putting pressure on rents, despite the new supply.
“It’s great there’s stock coming on. The rate of stock coming on is just not meeting demand,” he said.
Also, the fact that with most young workers were keen to live closer to their CBD workplaces to cut commute time and enjoy the city lifestyle, and not benefiting from extra supply in the outer suburbs, was pushing up rents. 
“The areas that are more attractive to people still have supply issues … People moving to Sydney for work, they want to live near work and live a great lifestyle,” he said.
“There is stock coming on and that will help alleviate pressure but the stock needs to be in the places where everyone wants to be.”
The median house rent in Sydney rose 1.6 per cent to $620 a week in May, according to Rent.com.au, while the median apartment rent added 1.9 per cent to $550 a week.
The median price per room rose 2.9 per cent to $288 a week.
“Actions by policymakers and banks to restrict activity by residential investors will only add to the current imbalances between rental supply and demand with even higher rents the logical outcome,” wrote Dr Wilson in his latest column.
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Sydney rents soar $80 in May as supply fails to keep pace

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A millennial entrepreneur is trying to automate the Australian rental market with an online marketplace that connects property owners and renters directly.
The platform seeks to eliminate the middleman in the transaction — the real estate agent — from the $44 billion a year rental market.
The Rentwolf app, a brainchild of 30-year-old Chris Martino, is set for a July launches in Sydney.
It already has 3,400 registered users, including 330 property owners.
The app has been in development for five years.
Rentwolf connects savvy property owners and renters through application profiles and an automated lease, payment and property maintenance system. The platform automates and integrates the rental property market, and provides real time data.
Renters, who can avail the service for free, can upload their profile and once they zero in on a prospective property, can make an offer to prospective landlords, including proposed lease terms (length and move in date) and financial offer. 
They can also compare other offers made on the property besides looking at median rental prices for individual properties, streets and suburbs.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/06/23/Chris_Rentwolf.jpg" alt=""> 
In addition, Rentwolf calculates an ‘offer over income ratio’ for renters, which determines the maximum amount they should be paying in rent in a certain area. This is communicated to both the renter and landlord, to prevent people from offering more they can afford.
Residential landlords pay $14 a month instead of a typical 8% monthly rental commission.  Commercial landlords pay $29 a month.
Addressing concerns that online platforms push up rentals, Chris Martino said the app is designed to increase transparency, not prices. 
“Rentwolf encourages renters and owners to focus on a broader value proposition, which includes individual’s profiles, proposed leased terms (length and move-in date) and the financial offer,” he said.   
Martino says he has experienced first-hand the frustration of looking for a rental property in Sydney and says he wants to reduce rental stress among renters by creating a transparent marketplace that will help keep rents under control.  
The project is being backed by his father, ex-Deloitte Australia CEO Domenic Martino.
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Rental app that seeks to cut out agents set for July launch

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<div>
SumoSalad’s boss has put two of the 20 companies in his group into voluntary administration, escalating the tension between the fast food chain and Westfield about leasing charges.
After attempts over six months to negotiate cuts in leasing charges, SumoSalad CEO and co-founder Luke Baylis put two companies, Sumo Westfield Leasing Pty Ltd and Sumo Leasing Pty Ltd, into voluntary administration to force several Westfield centres to the negotiating table, according to Chanticleer in The Australian Financial Review.
These companies hold the leases over about 12 SumoSalad outlets in Westfield shopping centres managed by the Scentre Group. SumoSalad has a total of 104 stores and Baylis says the dispute will not affect their trading, Chanticleer reported.
The dispute started after the shopping centres decided to dramatically expand the number of food outlets within shopping centres, according to Baylis.
Over the past three years foot traffic in shopping centres has only risen about six per cent but the number of food outlets has tripled or quadrupled, hitting SumoSalad’s profitability, Baylis added.
"Sumo has been working with landlords over the past few months to negotiate more realistic food court leases for our stores, with no success," Baylis said in a statement. 
"Regrettably, landlords have opened the door to more and more food businesses in recent times, as well as opening whole new eating areas within the same precinct, which has essentially cannibalised existing tenants.
"One shopping centre went from 34 food outlets to 93 in a three-year period with flat foot traffic growth.”
Putting stores into voluntary administration will allow SumoSalad's franchisees to exit without paying out the remainder of the lease, if Scentre does not cut the rent.
</div>
<div>He said talks with landlords have failed, with landlords demanding that Sumo and its franchisees collectively pay millions of dollars to surrender the existing shopping centre leases.</div>
<div>
"This is an untenable and unfair demand on small business owners, which would send our franchisees in those shopping centres broke,” he said.
"Placing the leasing entities into voluntary administration is the only way to protect our franchisees, and we are confident this will help us restructure our leasing entities in a manner that will create more favourable conditions for our franchisees."
One of the leases affected by the decision is in the Westfield at Chatswood. 
A spokeswoman for Scentre Group said the “Scentre Group works closely with its retail partners in an effort to resolve trading issues.”
Baylis said the addition of eating outlets over the past couple of years had hit SumoSalad outlet in the centre. He says the lease payments should be cut by 30 per cent.
Earlier this year, Scentre Group chief executive Peter Allen said his company was closely monitoring the rash of new voluntary administrations among retailers. 
Scentre has avoided exposure to specialty fashion chains because of poor consumer demand.
Another shopping centre owner to face problems because of companies going into voluntary administration is GPT.
The collapse of the Top Shop specialty fashion chain has impacted all the leading shopping centre owners.
Baylis said the SumoSalad is opening franchise outlets in hospitals, airports, service stations and universities.
The company has recently entered a partnership with Caltex called Foodiary in Condord in Sydney's west.
Baylis said SumoSalad had been considering its strategic shift away from shopping centre food courts for some time but it had only become a reality following the trialling of pilot sites.
</div>
<div>
 
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SumoSalad in rent dispute with landlord Westfield 

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There are Airbnb properties with some odd qualities. Property Observer looks at six of them:
1. The <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/7042427?guests=1&amp;adults=1&amp;children=0&amp;infants=0&amp;s=KJXy1ujm" target="_blank">Dollhouse</a> at Kingscote, South Australia is a historic cabin in the heart of town.
It features a loft bedroom with a queen bed, kitchen downstairs and lounge and other amenities.
It is available from $85 per night.
2. A one bedroom unit shaped like <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/1602856?guests=1&amp;adults=1&amp;children=0&amp;infants=0&amp;s=CFeeFIKz" target="_blank">an igloo</a> at Trinity Beach, Queensland is set around an octagonal swimming pool with Trinity Beach just a short walk away.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/01/23/Airbnb-2.jpg" alt="">
It is available for $115 per night
3. A one bedroom home called <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/999067?guests=1&amp;adults=1&amp;children=0&amp;infants=0&amp;s=CFeeFIKz" target="_blank">the Stable</a> at Richmond, Victoria is named because a stable had been renovated to become a home.
One guest stated, "The Stables were great. Close to public transport and close enough to the city to pop in and out.
The place was adorable and exactly what it looks like in the pictures"
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/01/23/Airbnb-3.jpg" alt="">
It is available for $101 per night.
4. A <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/4647524?guests=1&amp;adults=1&amp;children=0&amp;infants=0&amp;s=CFeeFIKz" target="_blank">1920s tram</a> has been converted into a four bedroom home at Lauriston, Victoria for $340 per night.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/01/23/Airbnb-4.jpg" alt="">
5. A small house in the shape of an <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/1483865?guests=1&amp;adults=1&amp;children=0&amp;infants=0&amp;s=CFeeFIKz" target="_blank">alpine tent</a> in an isolated area is available at Myrrhee, Victoria for $120 per night.
One guest stated, "Fantastic secluded, friendly atmosphere Views are breathtaking Glamping rocks Cant recommend enough."
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/01/23/Airbnb-5.jpg" alt="">
6. A four bedroom <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/6565539?guests=1&amp;adults=1&amp;children=0&amp;infants=0&amp;s=8cnhUSXX" target="_blank">heritage-listed church</a> at Brisbane, Queensland is available for $290 per night.
One guest stated, "Our stay at the Old Church met and exceeded all expectations.
Such a great, historic site to accomodate us whilst enjoying our time in Brisbane."
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/01/23/Airbnb-6.jpg" alt="">
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