Arabic version: المحكمة تلغي إشعار الإخلاء لمستأجرة مسنّة في ملبورن
An eviction notice served to Judy Belfield, an elderly tenant in Melbourne, has been declared invalid by a tribunal. The notice was issued after Belfield disputed a rent increase imposed by HousingFirst, which took over several properties previously managed under the Glenloch trust.
According to ABC News, Belfield’s rent was increased by about $65 a week, prompting her to continue paying her original rent of about $234 weekly. HousingFirst claimed the increases were necessary to align the properties with other community housing rates after years of low rents.
During the proceedings at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT), it was revealed that a significant point of contention was whether the rent increase complied with the Residential Tenancies Act. Belfield’s representative argued that a formal notice of rent increase was required, which was not provided.
Senior VCAT member Vivienne Topp ruled that the eviction notice was invalid due to confusion regarding the amount Belfield was said to owe, stating, “This matter is struck out. The notice to vacate is not valid.” It remains uncertain if the case will return to VCAT for further consideration.
