Last week, a new report based on a survey of over 1,500 Australians was published, finding that 51% of renters are living in a home that currently needs repairs.
The report, called “Disrupted: The consumer experience of renting in Australia”, and written by consumer group Choice, National Shelter, and the National Association of Tenants Organisations, also found that renters are worried about being evicted or getting a rent raise if they ask for repairs.
The report’s authors asked for Australians to share their renting stories online using the hashtag #RentInOz.
And boy, some of the stories.
Like this guy, whose landlord and his family hung around on his lawn all day.
Our landlord’s son (actually a good handyman) came around to fix our roof. Nothing wrong with that. However, the landlord, his wife and their daughter also came, and sat in lawn chairs in our yard for the 8 or 9 hours that the job took. #RentInOz
I've had a landlord show up at the door at 3pm on a Saturday, not identify himself as the landlord & then demand to be let in to "check out the cooling system" as per instructions from the agent. They do not care that they are breaking the rules - it's "their house". #RentInOz https://t.co/aMR4HcMfFw
Or this sink, which was glued on, and not very well apparently.
@alice__richard @TUNSW My friend moved into a pretty new rental apartment in the Sydney’s inner west - paying heaps - noisy construction in the next apartment (weren’t told about that). And their sink fell out - it was only glued on!!! #rentinoz
Not getting electrocuted — it’s a big mood.
it rained indoors for several months. it was only once I got zapped from the light switch that they actually fixed the leak. they fixed it and left a great big hole through which the wind gets in, but at least there's no water and I haven't been electrocuted #rentinoz
Not everyone was so lucky.
@MargRaff Oh hey yeah I got electrocuted by a house a few years ago. #RentInOz
@MargRaff My mother-in-law actually WAS electrocuted by her fuse box in a rental property #RentInOz
Asbestos was a theme.
Exposed insulation from the 1960's. We call this area the Asbestos Room #rentinoz
@TUNSW Got a licensed asbestos report - it stated how dangerous the broken firbro/asbestos is in my garage. Sent the report to NSW Fair Trading. They spoke my RE Agent. Their response was “we’ve had it tested before it’s not asbestos” they were believed over me with NO proof! #rentinoz
Water damage was another one.
In my last rental I complained about a ceiling leak in a living area for 9 mths. The ceiling then collapsed during a storm. When I complained about the collapse the landlord was unhappy I didn't express the seriousness of the issue. 9 mths of photo updates insufficient #rentinoz
This woman says she waited 11 months for repairs.
It took 11 months of complaining almost daily about no smoke alarms, no daylight in the lounge, mould filling the bathroom, a leaking roof, a front door falling apart, a gap in the entrance ceiling showing the outside world etc before anything was fixed #RentInOz https://t.co/6T4Cg4eXIu
This tap is quite...something.
ahhh I see it's time for the regular #RentInOz airing of grievances. here is a tap from a flat I used to rent that sums up my experiences https://t.co/jI0aq5PbxE