Canberra's biggest landlord is under fire for failing to repair and maintain its properties in a timely way — or at all.
ACT Ombudsman Iain Anderson said "Housing ACT has not satisfied its legal obligations" after his office investigated multiple recent complaints by tenants.
"We found that it often took a long time to fully complete required repairs, even though there were safety hazards such as mould and leaking roofs in their homes," Mr Anderson said in a report.
Independent MLA Thomas Emerson said more and more public housing properties were becoming uninhabitable despite the government's Growing and Renewing Public Housing Program, which has aimed to renew at least 1,000 homes and add 400 homes by the next financial year.
The government has just over 11,900 properties.
"I welcome the government's commitment to insourcing [repairs and maintenance] work, but that alone isn't going to solve the problem," Mr Emerson said.
"What we need to see is a shift in priorities, because we're not investing enough in this area and that has costs downstream."
Read the article here: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03-04/housing-act-fails-canberra-tenants-ombudsman-says/106415052