Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (WSROC) has welcomed the opportunity to contribute to the NSW Government’s consultation on Minimum Energy Efficiency Rental Standards (MEERS).

Many renters live in homes that are too hot in summer, too cold in winter, more expensive to run and are associated with poorer health outcomes.

These issues are particularly important in Western Sydney and other heat-vulnerable parts of the state, where extreme heat, housing stress and energy hardship can combine to create serious risk for households.

Our submission to the NSW Government’s consultation supports mandatory minimum standards for rental housing in NSW, recognising the importance of housing quality, energy affordability and health outcomes — particularly in heat-vulnerable areas such as Western Sydney.

WSROC also highlights the need for a practical implementation pathway, including clear guidance and targeted support for landlords, tenants and apartment communities.

In summary, WSROC considers that MEERS should be:

• mandatory and enforceable
• grounded in health, safety and thermal comfort
• staged in implementation but clear in long-term direction
• performance-based over time, rather than limited to a feature checklist approach
• inclusive of apartments and other rental housing types
• supported by transparent disclosure and practical compliance pathways
• implemented in a way that does not rely on renters to compel action
• supported by targeted financial, technical and communications assistance where needed.

To download and see the full submission, go to ➡️ https://wsroc.com.au/media-a-resources/submissions?task=download.send&id=419&catid=2&m=0