❓ Mr. Krsticevic asks about the level and breakdown of public housing vacated debt, the number of debtors, and their current housing status. The Minister provides figures for the debt and its components but lacks data on the debtors' current accommodation.
AnsweredQoN 5641Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(1) Can the Minister advise the level of public housing vacated (or non-tenancy) debt as at 30 June 2019? (2) Of this debt, how much was for: (a) Rent; (b) Repairs for which the tenant is liable; (c) Water Corporation; and (d) Other charges? (3) How many debtors did this debt apply to? (4) How many debtors remain clients of the Department of Communities as public housing tenants at an alternative address? (5) Of those debtors that are no longer clients of the Department of Communities as public housing tenants, how many debtors: (a) Have alternative accommodation in Western Australia; (b) Does the Department believe are living in Western Australia but do not have alternative accommodation; and (c) Does the Department not know of their subsequent address?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
26 November 2019
Responded by
Minister for Housing
Response time
12 days
(1) The total value of public housing vacated (or non-tenancy) debt as at 30 June 2019 was $48,188,569.59.
(2) (a)-(d) A breakdown of the total value of vacated debt as at 30 June 2019:
Account Type
Amount of Debt
Rent
$ 584,288.28
Repairs
$ 4,250,485.36
Water
$ 235,244.49
Other Charges
$ 49,464.19
Vacated Account
$ 43,069,087.27
Statewide Total
$ 48,188,569.59
Once a tenant has vacated their property, their accounts (a, b, c and d) are considered non-tenancy and placed in suspense. These accounts remain in suspense until final charges (including tenant liability due to vacated maintenance) have been applied, and a review has been completed. This process can take up to three months.
The accounts in suspense are then closed, and their balances are transferred to a vacated account. The Department of Communities is unable to provide a breakdown of vacated debt once the balance of a suspense account has been transferred to a vacated account.
(3) Total debtors (vacated tenants) that this debt applies to is 9,662 which represents 8,300 vacated tenancies.
(4) Of the 9,662 debtors, there are 2,213 debtors with non-tenancy debt currently occupying a Public Housing tenancy. Tenants with a non-tenancy debt are required to enter into and maintain a payment arrangement.
(5) (a)–(c) The Department of Communities does not collect this information. The Department of Communities will attempt to contact the debtor using their last known contact details. If the Department is unsuccessful, the matter is referred to a Debt Collection Agency. If after 12 months the Debt Collection Agency is unable to contact the debtor, the balance will remain on the Department's accounts as a ‘Bad Debt’ for seven years. If the debtor engages the Department for assistance, within this period, the debtor is required to enter into and maintain a payment arrangement. If, after seven years, the debtor remains uncontactable, the ‘Bad Debt’ is progressed to the Director General to be ‘written off’.
(2) (a)-(d) A breakdown of the total value of vacated debt as at 30 June 2019:
Account Type
Amount of Debt
Rent
$ 584,288.28
Repairs
$ 4,250,485.36
Water
$ 235,244.49
Other Charges
$ 49,464.19
Vacated Account
$ 43,069,087.27
Statewide Total
$ 48,188,569.59
Once a tenant has vacated their property, their accounts (a, b, c and d) are considered non-tenancy and placed in suspense. These accounts remain in suspense until final charges (including tenant liability due to vacated maintenance) have been applied, and a review has been completed. This process can take up to three months.
The accounts in suspense are then closed, and their balances are transferred to a vacated account. The Department of Communities is unable to provide a breakdown of vacated debt once the balance of a suspense account has been transferred to a vacated account.
(3) Total debtors (vacated tenants) that this debt applies to is 9,662 which represents 8,300 vacated tenancies.
(4) Of the 9,662 debtors, there are 2,213 debtors with non-tenancy debt currently occupying a Public Housing tenancy. Tenants with a non-tenancy debt are required to enter into and maintain a payment arrangement.
(5) (a)–(c) The Department of Communities does not collect this information. The Department of Communities will attempt to contact the debtor using their last known contact details. If the Department is unsuccessful, the matter is referred to a Debt Collection Agency. If after 12 months the Debt Collection Agency is unable to contact the debtor, the balance will remain on the Department's accounts as a ‘Bad Debt’ for seven years. If the debtor engages the Department for assistance, within this period, the debtor is required to enter into and maintain a payment arrangement. If, after seven years, the debtor remains uncontactable, the ‘Bad Debt’ is progressed to the Director General to be ‘written off’.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.