In a welcome move for anyone who’s been hyped about a rental inspection, only to rock up and realise the photos were pretty damn misleading, new laws in NSW mean rental ads will have to disclose if they’ve been altered or digitally manipulated.
The laws, introduced into state parliament on Sunday, are set to clamp down on ads that could mislead applicants about the property. This means no more pics editing out damage like mould or stains, or pics showing an AI-generated double bed in a room that only really fits a single bed (definitely fallen for that one).
Tenants’ Union of NSW chief Leo Patterson Ross noted fake photography had become a pretty big pain point for renters looking for a new home.
“Being misled into visiting a property that is not suitable is frustrating for prospective tenants and may mean they miss out on other properties,” he told The Guardian.
“But it also risks inflating the rent itself by inflating the number of people who appear interested in a place and increasing pressure on someone to rush to put in an application or even offer above the advertised rent.”
Agents or landlords who don’t adhere to the news rules could cop penalties of around $5,500 for individuals and $22,000 for businesses.
Other major changes will include disclosing if there’s an embedded utility network (meaning no more nasty surprises about having to switch your energy provider and buy into new plans) as well as limits on the personal information that can be collected from renters.
Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading Anoulack Chanthivong explained the reforms aim to stop unnecessary data collection, while limiting the risk of data breaches.
If the bill passes, the government plans to consult with stakeholders to finalise a standard application form, the types of documents that can be collected to assess a rental application, and when those documents need to be destroyed.
“Renters are entitled to dignity and privacy when living in a rental property — and this extends to their personal information too,” Chanthivong said in a statement.
These reforms will address the pretty excessive documentation renters are currently being asked to provide, which ranges from personal photos, social media account details, and relationship details, to even the number of tattoos a prospective renter has.
The state government estimates nearly 190,000 pieces of identification info is collected from NSW renters every week, with almost a third of people in the state renting their home.
“Cyber breaches and data theft are a major privacy risk to individuals and to the businesses that collect and hold that information. There’s a cyber breach reported in Australia every six minutes,” said NSW Rental Commissioner Trina Jones.
“By setting clear rules for how renter data is handled, the Protection of Personal Information Bill doesn’t just protect tenants, it reduces legal and reputational risk for landlords and agents too. This legislation will see sensible limits on what information can be collected in a rental application, creating a fairer and more consistent process, and gives rental applicants more control over their personal data.
“Renters shouldn’t have to trade away their privacy just to find a place to live.”
Anyone not adhering to the new privacy rules could be looking at some hefty fines of $49,000 for businesses and $11,000 for individuals.
So, rental agents, a little less Photoshop/AI and a little more honesty would be great, thanks!
The post Fkn Finally: New Laws To Crack Down On Misleading Rental Pics Using Photoshop & AI appeared first on PEDESTRIAN.TV .
