ACT Greens housing spokeswoman Rebecca Vassarotti says she will move to establish a portable rental bond scheme before the end of the year unless the government commits to introducing one sooner.

Ms Vassarotti said the scheme would prevent renters moving home from having to find money for a new bond while waiting for their existing bond to be returned.

She cited the 2026 Everybody’s Home Priced Out report, which she said found Canberrans earning $70,000 a year were spending more than half their income on rent.

“In a market this unaffordable, moving house shouldn’t require emptying your savings just to secure a roof over your head,” Ms Vassarotti said.

She said having to cover two bonds could force renters to use credit cards, payday loans or other forms of borrowing.

The Greens are calling for a portable scheme under which an existing rental bond could effectively follow a tenant to their next property, reducing the upfront cost of moving.

Ms Vassarotti pointed to portable bond reforms in NSW and Victoria and called on the ACT Government to introduce a similar system.

Unless the government makes a commitment beforehand, she said she would bring the proposal to the Legislative Assembly during its next sitting.

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