Last week, the McGowan government announced
that it had created a free conciliation service to assist renters and landlords
reach an agreement about coronavirus-related tenancy disputes without having to go
to court.
According to a statement, the aim of the
Residential Tenancies Mandatory Conciliation Service (RTMCS) is for all sides
to reach a fair and achievable solution through informal discussion. Unlike in a court where a decision is imposed, mandatory conciliation encourages renters
and landlords to work together to come up with arrangements that suit everyone.
"It’s a relaxed environment and gives people
the power to choose the outcome in a non-adversarial setting,” RTMCS general
manager Trish Blake said.
"If you are involved in a dispute being
conciliated by the service, you must take part in the process. This means you
have to at least talk to the conciliator and be involved in a discussion with
your landlord or tenant. The conciliator will be flexible to ensure you have
every reasonable opportunity to participate and have your issues heard.”
A statement released by Consumer Protection
noted: "Consumer Protection conciliators are impartial and have extensive
experience in dealing with tenancy disputes. If parties to a conciliation do
not participate, they may be fined.
"The mandatory conciliation scheme complements
the introduction of a six-month moratorium on evictions and rent increases.
"The emergency residential tenancy laws aim to
provide some certainty during these uncertain times for those in private and
public housing, residential long-stay parks, as well as boarders and lodgers.”
Applications for conciliation are via
submissions located on the Western Australian government’s official website.
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Jason Gwerder
Monday, 8 June 2020
