NSW domestic violence victims now have more flexibility to break leases but the real estate industry is worried

Being able to break her lease without a financial hit is what Rani* believes kept her alive after her violent ex-husband followed her home after her daughter’s birthday dinner.

Were it not for the help of LegalAid lawyers, she would’ve been penalised $2,500 to break her lease — she admits the hefty cost caused her to hesitate.

“As a migrant, it wasn’t savings I had and I didn’t know about my rights as a domestic violence victim,” she said.

“[But] I knew we had to leave. It wasn’t worth risking my life.”

Rani used her AVO against her ex-partner to absolve herself of tenancy costs under domestic violence rental laws and new reforms in NSW have been expanded to help women in her position.

As of last week, a wider range of professionals…