‘Do not move to Sydney’: British woman’s warning about Australia

A young woman who moved to Australia from London has issued a warning to other travellers.

Wild footage has emerged showing the shocking reality of the rental crisis in Sydney, with hundreds of people lining up to view properties throughout the city.

The footage was captured this week and shows hundreds of people lining up to inspect two-bedroom apartments in the city’s eastern suburbs.

The video was posted to TikTok by Ellie, a British woman who describes herself as a “solo travel girl”.

“Do NOT move to Sydney … if you think it’s going to be easy,” Ellie says in the video.

@thechaoticnomad Moving to Sydney is not all sunshine & rainbows… it’s also mass rejection, queues & a rental crisis 🥵 (but it’s worth it!!) Here to share the highs and lows, with lots of tips to help you have a less chaotic experience than me 🙏 #sydneyrentalcrisis#movingtosydney#movingtoaustralia#movetosydneywithme#rentalcrisissydney#sydneyhousingcrisis#sydneyrentalmarket#australiarentalcrisis#britishinaustralia#britishinsydney♬ love nwantinti (ah ah ah) - CKay

A British woman has detailed how hard it is to get a rental in Sydney. Picture: TikTok

She said 70-100 people showed up to the viewings. Picture: TikTok

“I moved from London to Sydney with no idea of the rental crisis.”

Ellie filmed five apartments in Bondi and surrounding suburbs, with 70-100 people showing up at each one.

She explains that the “competition is crazy” for rentals in Sydney, and with so many people she could barely see the apartment.

“There’s a queue to get in and then you literally couldn’t even see it there’s so many people in there,” Ellie said.

In the caption, she writes that moving to Sydney isn’t all “sunshine and rainbows” but “mass rejection, queues and a rental crisis”.

Ellie warns people that living in Sydney is not easy. Picture: TikTok

She says ‘competition is crazy’ in Sydney. Picture: TikTok

Many people chimed in agreeing with the traveller, with some suggesting she look further away from the city.

One TikTok user suggested: “You need to go out of Central Sydney. Like Chatswood Parramatta Cronulla or Hornsby. It’s a lot easier!”

“Try further out from the city,” another wrote.

Sydney isn’t the only Australian city battling a worrying rental crisis.

Earlier this month, videos emerged online of hundreds of people lining up outside an apartment in Melbourne’s CBD.

“It seems impossible to find a 2 bedroom apartment in Melbourne city right now,” one woman wrote.

There are so many people in the apartment you can barely see it. Picture: TikTok

She said the lines were massive. Picture: TikTok

“Apartment inspections here are something else.”

The rental crisis across Australia has been a nightmare for many for more than a year.

Victoria introduced a ban on “rental bidding” – asking for or encouraging higher offers than the advertised price and playing potential tenants off against each other – in March 2021 in the hope of cooling the market.

The rental crisis is hitting Sydney. Picture: TikTok

She is warning others of the reality of living in Sydney. Picture: TikTok

From December 17, 2022, licensed real estate and property agents in NSW were also prohibited from soliciting rent bidding.

However, rents have continued to climb and vacancy rates have barely improved.

According to PropTrack, NSW vacancy rates have fallen to levels not seen since 2003, while prices have increased by 3.2 per cent.

Meanwhile, annual data from the Rental Affordability Index found that every capital city had experienced a decline in rental affordability, with low-income renters such as single parents, pensioners and job seekers among the most vulnerable.

Originally published as ‘Do not move to Sydney’: British woman’s warning about Australia