On this our housing week we cover the pitfalls of lend leasing agreements and short term loans. We also talk about utilities cut-offs. We discuss how people can access help to deal with these problems. Then we get onto the corporatisation of the Mornington Peninsula Shire which has led to shock lay-offs.

Guests are Jeff Fiedler from the Housing for the Aged Action Group, and Katherine Temple from the Consumer Action Law Centre

Thorn, the parent company of Radio Rentals didn't get back to us in time for the show, but afterwards they released the following statement:

"Thorn’s business, Radio Rentals, has been helping people access household goods for nearly 80 years. We exist because we provide a service customers around Australia want. The whole business is based on giving people a fair go. For many people, renting these goods is the only way they can get them, since they don’t have the money to buy them outright and, for varying reasons, may not qualify for a loan. In this sense, it is no different from rental accommodation. Radio Rentals adheres fully to responsible lending guidelines, including all customers being provided a copy of the terms and conditions prior to installation.

 We have a strong code of ethics and we are very committed to protecting customers. Thorn holds an Australian Credit Licence and adheres to the responsible lending policy, which means that product costs are fully disclosed in contracts prior to signing and rigorous processes are in place to ensure we don’t commit people to payments they cannot afford.

 When comparing pricing of Radio Rentals’ products with other household goods providers, it is important to incorporate risk and cost of credit as well as the fact that the goods are delivered, installed and serviced throughout the contract for free. Thorn also allows for a product downgrade or upgrade in case of change of circumstances."