{"id":42093,"date":"2023-01-26T08:38:55","date_gmt":"2023-01-25T19:38:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/propertynoise.co.nz\/au\/?p=42093"},"modified":"2023-01-26T08:38:55","modified_gmt":"2023-01-25T19:38:55","slug":"traumatising-renters-facing-crisis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/propertynoise.co.nz\/au\/traumatising-renters-facing-crisis\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Traumatising\u2019: Renters facing crisis"},"content":{"rendered":"

PHOTO: Renters in Sydney are facing \u2018unreasonable\u2019 rent hikes<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

A Sydney<\/a> woman has detailed the \u2018traumatising\u2019 experience faced by renters right across the city that has turned the rental market into a minefield.<\/p>\n

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Sydney renters are being forced to either cop massive rent hikes or move out into the uncertain competition for the city\u2019s overpriced rentals.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Emily* lived in a three-bedroom, two bathroom townhouse in Sydney\u2019s east for more than a decade before the property manager sent out a text saying her rent would be increasing from $720 to $850 a week \u2013 an 18 per cent price hike.<\/p>\n

She said the house had never had a price increase of more than $40 a week.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe thought that was pretty unreasonable so we went back and said we will accept $50 a week,\u201d the renter said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was shut down in less than an hour.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The real estate agents denied the request and explained that this was the \u201cmarket value\u201d of properties in the area.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a problem that\u2019s all too common for tenants in Sydney\u2019s boiling hot rental market, where landlords are facing astronomical pressure due to spiking mortgage repayments.<\/p>\n

Tenants Union of NSW Policy Team Lead Leo Patterson Ross said the number of calls they have received from tenants inquiring about rental increases has more than doubled in recent months.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s really tough time for tenants,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople are scared of being forced back into the market so they are in a weak position when dealing with their landlord.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bast Winter, a full-time uni student, was forced to move home when their landlord raised their inner west Sydney rent by $45 a week \u2013 or 22 per cent.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s definitely scared me a bit,\u201d Winter said.<\/p>\n

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Tenants Union of NSW said calls relating to rental increases has more than doubled in recent months. Picture: NCA NewsWire \/ Gaye Gerard<\/strong><\/em><\/div>\n

\u201cBeing a relatively low income earner it\u2019s scary to know that rent can change so drastically and so quickly.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe flow on effects of that impact your ability to pay bills, buy groceries or having any kind of savings.\u201d<\/p>\n

A major misconception for renters is that there is a cap on how much a landlord can increase the rent by in each instalment.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is no maximum on what [rent] can be increased,\u201d Mr Patterson Ross said.<\/p>\n

\u201cRecently we saw a rent increase by $700 a week on the Central Coast, which was about 200 per cent of the current rent.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo for people who haven\u2019t had an increase for a while, it can be really hard.\u201d<\/p>\n

Renters are advised to try and negotiate the price with their landlord by using examples from the market to come to a compromise on a reasonable price.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe only option many people have is to prove that the price increase is too much of a stretch,\u201d Mr Patterson Ross said.<\/p>\n

Emily has decided to take the financial hit of her price hike rather than face the unknown in the rental market.<\/p>\n

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Renters are being advised to prove that the rental increase is unreasonable. Picture: NCA NewsWire \/ Andrew Henshaw<\/strong><\/em><\/div>\n

Other tenants in her building cut their losses and have moved to a more affordable suburb, though she notes their property has remained vacant for more than a month.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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