PHOTO: RAWPIXEL
Major Australian Real Estate Agency Apologizes for ‘Tenant of the Month’ Award Amid Backlash
A prominent Australian real estate agency has issued an apology after one of its franchises introduced a ‘Tenant of the Month’ award, which has been criticized by renters as ‘degrading.’
To be eligible for the award, tenants with the Ray White agency had to consistently pay rent on time, maintain the property in good condition, and be ‘pleasant’ to interact with.
However, the award faced significant backlash, with tenants’ rights activist Jordan van den Lamb calling it ‘condescending.’
“Renters don’t need to be competing with each other to survive, which is what this award seems to be encouraging people to do,” he said. “Housing is a human right and it doesn’t require you to be pleasant.”
Mr. van den Lamb expressed concerns that the agency’s emphasis on being ‘pleasant’ might discourage tenants from voicing concerns about necessary repairs.
The post (pictured) that triggered outrage among many Aussies believing it was ‘humiliating’ and ‘degrading’
“Agents often consider unpleasantness as asking for basic repairs to be done,” he explained. “They are insinuating you should keep quiet.”
A Ray White spokesperson apologized for any offense caused by the award, stating, “We value all our tenants and always strive to create a respectful and inclusive community.”
Ray White operates a franchised network with 1,000 offices and 13,000 members.
A spokesperson from the Tenants Union emphasized the need for the real estate industry to treat renters with more respect.
“We pay tens of thousands of dollars a year in rent; we should expect a level of service and respect that reflects this, not an arbitrary determination of being a pleasure to deal with,” they said.
Mr. van den Lamb highlighted the current challenges faced by renters, noting that more needs to be done to protect tenants. “People can’t afford their rent,” he said.
New rental listings on Realestate.com.au were 4.7 per cent lower in June compared to a year earlier, the lowest June level since 2010
His comments come as national rents remained unchanged over the June 2024 quarter at $600 per week, marking a 9.1 percent increase, or $50 more, compared to the same period last year, according to REA Group’s PropTrack Rental Report for June.
New rental listings on Realestate.com.au were 4.7 percent lower in June compared to a year earlier, marking the lowest level since 2010.
Despite an increase in total listings by more than 10 percent in the June quarter, conditions remained tight with total stock 4.4 percent lower year-on-year.
Sydney experienced the most significant strain during the June quarter as renters faced the lowest supply of available properties in over a decade, with new rental listings declining by 2.8 percent and total rentals down by 4.8 percent.
What Aussies are Saying about Ray White’s ‘Tenant of the Month’ Award
“Honestly, how humiliating for the tenants. How condescending, it gives full ick vibes.”
“So condescending.”
“This is so degrading! WTF is this primary school?”
“They’re not children; it’s a business transaction.”
“Are they getting gold stars on a wall chart? The Australian rental market treats people like children.”
Despite recording an increase in vacancy rates to 1.7 percent, median advertised rents in Sydney rose by $60 to top the nation at $740 a week.
NSW’s regional renters also faced challenges, with listings contracting by 19 percent over the year, resulting in tougher competition among prospective renters.
Melbourne’s rental supply remained tight in June as 16.8 percent fewer new listings hit the market over the year, with total listings remaining relatively stagnant.
The rental vacancy rate grew by 0.34 percent over the quarter to reach a 12-month high of 1.5 percent, indicating a rise in median rents to $575 a week, a $55 increase from a year prior.
While rentals in regional Victoria tightened and new and total listings declined, prices remained unchanged at $450 a week.
Brisbane renters saw a more positive outlook as market conditions eased over the June quarter, with an increase in rental supply and listings while competition eased. Vacancy rates rose to 1.2 percent over the quarter, with median rents for both Brisbane and regional Queensland at $620 per week.
Adelaide and Perth experienced an increase in rental supplies and asking rents as conditions eased across both markets. The median rent for Adelaide in the June quarter rose to $570, while Perth had an advertised median rent of $650.
In Canberra, rental asking prices remained stagnant at $600 over the year to June despite tighter supply and growing demand.
SOURCE: THE DAILY MAIL