The new advocate for two million NSW renters will continue calling for more social housing, but has shied away from a recent stance on rent bidding.
Rental Commissioner Trina Jones says she will prioritise quality, affordability and fairness as her independent office champions community-wide changes to the rental system.
It comes as rapid rent inflation puts nearly one million NSW renters in rental stress and the Minns government sets about ambitious reforms, changing laws on evictions, renters' pets and the storage of tenants' private data.
Ms Jones said part of improving conditions for renters would be continuing to call for more investment in social housing.
The outgoing Homelessness NSW chief executive recently called for the state to increase the proportion of social homes from 4.6 per cent to 10 per cent.
"The evidence and policy is clear that investment in housing that people can afford can have knock-on impacts to ensure that rental is more affordable," Ms Jones told reporters on Tuesday.
"I hope to bring my experience and my knowledge to this role and continue to advocate for those who are at the most vulnerable end of the market."
But she declined to say whether she would maintain the position taken in June by Homelessness NSW in an inquiry into secret rent bidding.
Labor made an election promise to make rent bidding transparent, only to ditch the proposal when experts warned it could further inflate the market.
Homelessness NSW told a rent bidding inquiry that an effective compromise could be banning agents and landlords from accepting a price higher than initially advertised.
Ms Jones also won't be advocating any time soon for rent freezes - a Greens policy opposed by the government - but instead for areas she can get traction with immediately.
"You need to implement policies that will work," she said.
"What we need to do now is look at the available priorities to us where we're in agreement."
Ms Jones said she looked forward to sharing ideas with Heather Holst, the Victorian residential tenancies commissioner since 2018.
In recent years the state has banned all forms of rental bidding, introduced rental minimum standards, allowed modifications by renters, and expanded the definition of "urgent repairs" to include mould and damp.
NSW Premier Chris Minns said Ms Jones had a massive job to navigate complex legislative and marketplace changes to make renting fair.
But he won't make that easier by accepting every change she recommends.
"We're the executive government, we've been elected to make decisions on behalf of the people of NSW," Mr Minns told reporters.
"But I don't see that being vastly different from any other commissioner that we've employed in NSW that can provide public, independent advice about the best way to move forward."
Another renter advocate, the Tenants Union, has previously said the rental commissioner could positively change the renting landscape if properly funded and empowered.
Ms Jones's appointment comes as the government invites renters' feedback on a proposed rental system "rebalance".
One of the dozens of proposals released on Friday to change the system was forcing landlords to explain above-inflation rent increases.
