PHOTO: (Credit: Professionals/Yahoo Finance)
An Australian real estate agency has justified its email to tenants warning about Christmas being “eviction season,” asserting the need to safeguard landlords dependent on consistent rental income from those who neglect timely rent payments during the holiday season.
The email, dispatched by Professionals Taylors Lakes in Melbourne on Monday, has faced criticism for being perceived as a “heartless threat” targeting vulnerable individuals grappling with the rental crisis.
The communication states that Christmas is commonly referred to as ‘eviction season’ in property management circles because many individuals opt to allocate their rental funds towards holiday expenses rather than prioritizing their family’s accommodation needs during this period.
Accompanied by an image of the Professional real estate office, the letter urges tenants to prioritize rent payment during Christmas to avoid potential eviction. The real estate agency, Professionals, is now under scrutiny for its perceived stern stance.
The email emphasizes that paying rent is the tenant’s “most significant financial obligation” and highlights the challenges faced by property managers when compelled to carry out eviction proceedings, describing the process as unpleasant for all parties involved and affecting everyone’s enjoyment of the holiday season.
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Joseph Abraham from Professionals Taylors Lakes expressed regret for any offense caused, explaining that the email served as a “timely reminder” and was not sent with malicious intent.
“These individuals are not wealthy and are facing financial challenges similar to some of our tenants. Our responsibility as property management agents is to ensure that tenants fully comprehend their obligations and responsibilities. Timely reminders, like the email that was dispatched, are integral to our efforts in delivering a clear message to all parties involved.”
Jordie Van Den Berg, a renter rights advocate known as Purple Pingers, informed Yahoo Finance that Professionals had contacted him to clarify that the letter was specifically sent to tenants who were falling behind on rent.
“I don’t find it particularly justifiable; it’s heartless. I’ve spoken with several tenants who received the email and said that it’s objectively untrue,” Van Den Berg remarked, noting that many were afraid of facing repercussions if they spoke out.
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Van Den Berg highlighted that a significant number of Australian renters feel powerless in a rental system characterized by a “massive power imbalance” favoring landlords and a severely limited vacancy rate.
“They have to confront their landlord and their real estate agent, and they can’t do that without the fear of eviction, abuse, or even a negative reference,” he stated.
As the founder of ‘shitrentals,’ a platform enabling tenants to share horror stories about the industry, Van Den Berg questioned the rationale behind targeting tenants without considering providing financial assistance to those struggling with payments.
“They specifically target vulnerable individuals. By their own admission, they mentioned that they sent this offensive email only to tenants consistently behind on rent, without considering why that might be or what they can do to help,” he expressed.
SOURCE: YAHOO