Latest news with #TrishBlake
West Australian
2 days ago
- Business
- West Australian
Revealed: The exact number of Broome rentals given over to short-term lets
Short-term rentals now account for more than 4 per cent of Broome's housing supply, according to data revealed by the State Government for the first time. Data from the State Government's new STRA register and heat map which records all registered such properties in the State show there are 125 short-term rentals across the wider Kimberley and 110 properties listed in Broome, or nearly nine in 10 of the regional total. Further analysis from the Kimberley Development Commission shows that 52 per cent of all private dwellings in Broome are rentals — 2674 out of 5140 — meaning STRAs now make up just more than 4 per cent of the entire rental pool. The number of Kimberley STRAs accounts for just over one per cent of the Statewide STRA pool. Consumer Protection commissioner Trish Blake said the STRA Register gave local communities much-needed certainty. 'The expansion of the STRA sector has created unintended consequences for communities and it has been very difficult to undertake meaningful analysis due to the lack of clear data,' she said. 'Now, with the STRA register, residents can now easily see the presence and density of STRA properties in their neighbourhood, fostering transparency and accountability. 'Local governments can also access data on STRA properties in their area, meaning they can make informed decisions to manage how they operate in local communities.' The State Government introduced an STRA Incentive Scheme in November 2023, which offers $10,000 grants to owners who secure new tenants with minimum 12-month leases in their rental properties. Since the scheme's launch, 487 short-stay properties were added to the long-term rental market. Applications for the scheme are open until the end of 2025. Meanwhile, new property data from Domain shows Broome remains one of the most expensive regional housing markets in WA, despite broader affordability concerns. The median house price in Broome climbed to $765,000 in June, up 11.8 per cent over the year and 75.9 per cent in the past five years. That places Broome behind only Fremantle, Augusta-Margaret River and Busselton for the highest regional house prices in the State. However, in Kununurra the median house price has slightly decreased over the past year by 1.1 per cent to $450,000. Across regional WA, the median house price rose 2.5 per cent over the June quarter to $610,000, with annual growth sitting at 17.5 per cent. 'The housing market continues to outperform expectations, despite cost-of-living concerns and economic uncertainty,' Domain chief of research and economics Dr Nicola Powell said. 'But the road ahead may be uneven. Next month's RBA decision will be one to watch — another rate cut could expand borrowing capacity, though regulators may tread carefully if investor activity accelerates. 'Supply remains the key wildcard. We're still not building fast enough to meet population growth. Without a substantial boost in new housing, price pressures will remain, regardless of further rate cuts.'
Perth Now
28-06-2025
- Perth Now
Roof repair conmen scamming West Aussies out of thousands
Door-knocking conmen are swindling WA households out of tens of thousands of dollars for minor roof repairs that they don't complete. Consumer protection issued a warning on Wednesday after an elderly Hillman couple were approached at their home by two men who said their roof required cleaning, tile tuckpointing and minor fascia board repairs. Without providing a quote the men began the job and instructed the couple to acquire a cheque for $18,645 and deposit it directly into their bank account. This allowed them to bypass bank surveillance security cameras and cover the money trail. A Parmelia couple suffered a similar ordeal when they were approached at their door by a man driving a white Ute who used sales tactics to convince them to let him clean their roof. Initially quoted $1,950, the couple were coerced into paying $2,145 – allegedly to cover GST. Shortly after the man left the couple noticed he did not complete any of the tasks promised and new water leaks emerged from the roof. The homeowners later discovered their security camera had been deliberately repositioned away from the front of the property, preventing any footage of the man being captured. Consumer Protections commissioner Trish Blake urged WA households to turn away door-knocking tradesmen if approached. Credit: Jackson Flindell / The West Australian Consumer Protections commissioner Trish Blake urged WA households to turn away door-knocking tradesmen if approached. 'These conmen move from town to town using high-pressure tactics to push overpriced roof restoration jobs – often delivering little to no actual work,' Ms Blake said. 'They are in clear breach of the Australian Consumer Law by disregarding the mandatory 10-day cooling-off period for unsolicited approaches. During this time, no payment should be made and no work is legally permitted. 'What's particularly concerning in these latest reports is the group's failure to provide formal quotes or contact details, leaving consumers with no way to follow up. 'Without a written quote – which sets expectations and offers legal protection – victims are further being denied their right to seek a remedy. 'Consumers looking to get this work done should always seek multiple written quotes to compare price and value, and research traders in advance by requesting references and viewing examples of previous work.' Anyone who receives a knock at the door from traders offering roof restoration services should say 'no' and call Consumer Protection on 1300 30 40 54.
Perth Now
22-06-2025
- Perth Now
West Aussies warned over rise in rental scams
West Australians looking for rentals are being warned to be extra careful due to a rising number of scammers impersonating government agencies demanding payments for fake bonds. According to Consumer Protection, the WA ScamNet team have received 35 reports of rental scams so far this year with 12 victims losing a total of $27,875. The figures are not far off the numbers from the entirety of 2024 where 45 reports were made and 16 victims lost a combined $39,935. The scam works by someone claiming to be a landlord or real estate agent and offering to lease a non-existent rental property. An email claiming to be from Consumer Protection is then sent demanding payment to secure the lease. One man who fell victim to the scam was Samier Rouze, 45. Mr Rouze lost $2400 on a fraudulent bond for a northern suburbs rental property. While he did meet with the so-called landlord in person and became friends with them on social media, the scammer did not allow him into the home by falsely saying it was currently tenanted so he could not go inside. Mr Rouze said he was frustrated by the events. 'I was furious actually, I don't know why some people do that, taking advantage of the rental prices,' he said. 'I guess she just earned our trust very much because she was very engaging with what we asked. 'Our only mistake was to not knock on the door.' Mr Rouze warned others to be careful and always see the property first-hand. 'Please check the place, if you can do it twice, thrice or just go to a Real Estate agent properly,' he said. 'I know it's a bit tough this stage due to housing issues but I think we should not let our guards down by means of checking the property itself so it doesn't happen to anyone else again.' News. Press Conference. Commerce Minister Sue Ellery releases Consumer Protection's WA ScamNet Year in Review report which details the impact scammers are having on Western Australians outside Dumas House in West Perth. Pictured is Trish Blake, Commissioner for Consumer Protection. Credit: Jackson Flindell / The West Australian Consumer Protection commissioner Trish Blake said perspective renters should be extra careful to avoid being scammed. 'Online marketplaces and social media platforms are the primary hunting grounds for rental scammers, who use fake property listings and respond to 'rental wanted' ads to find victims,' she said. 'To outsmart rental scammers, always insist on an inside inspection before parting with any money and be wary of 'too good to be true' rent prices as that's a common tactic to lure more victims.' Among the tips to avoid becoming a victim of a rental scam include being suspicious of properties that are listed well below the expected price, reverse image search photos given to you, do an online search of the address to check it is not being listed with another company and never make a payment without physically inspecting the property. Ms Blake said you could also see if the bond payment request was legitimate by checking the email address. 'While scammers can replicate many things, they can't make their email addresses originate from the State Government,' she said. 'Hover over the sender's email address. If it doesn't end with then that's a very clear sign any correspondence claiming to be from Consumer Protection's Bonds Administration team is fake.' Consumers with concerns about whether their bond has been lodged can call the Bonds Administration team directly on 1300 853 829 or email bondsadmin@
