SA tenants share their rental horror stories as housing crisis worsens

You wouldn’t wish your worst enemy to live in these filthy hellholes but desperate SA families are being forced to live in squalid rental homes. See the shocking examples.

SA housing is in crisis, with hundreds of desperate people unable to find safe and affordable rental properties in a tightening market.

As The Advertiser reported last month, wannabe renters are facing an uphill battle with an Anglicare study finding just two homes on the market suitable for single minimum-wage earners out of 1125 listings on realestate.com.au on the weekend of March 19.

This week, we reported on the case of a Mannum couple who has been forced to live in a tent on the banks of the river because they have been unable to find a rental in the region.

But the situation is only marginally better for people lucky enough to have a roof over their heads, with reports that many tenants are being forced to put up with poor and dangerous living conditions, either because landlords are refusing to carry out even the most basic repairs or because tenants are too scared to raise issues.

Uniting Communities spokesman Mark Henley said requests to fix substandard and unsafe housing were now being ignored by landlords who know tenants could not afford to leave.

“On the other hand tenants are refusing to raise issues with landlords for fear of being evicted,’’ he said.

“The cost of rent means is people will avoid any contact with the landlord for fear of being noticed.”

Mr Henley said the issues ignored ranged from small repairs to major health concerns like a common problem of mould.

“In the worst example, we believe – because of heating and cooling issues – around 40 per cent of SA tenants now were enduring conditions which are too hot or too cold according to World Health Organisation standards,” he said.

The Advertiser asked readers to tell us about their experiences. Here are some of their stories. The Advertiser has not included names or personal details to protect tenants who contacted us. If you have a similar story to tell, share it here.

TOADSTOOLS IN THE BATHROOM

Murray Bridge

An indoor garden of toadstools one SA renter has to put up with because, they claim, the landlord won't fix the mould problem. Picture: Supplied by tenant

ISSUES: House leaks when it rains, power shorts out. Black mould, toadstools sprouting in bathroom. Flyscreens missing. Fibreglass dust in the kitchen, mouldy carpets making tenant and his wife sick.

“Both old and broke. We have no hope as no family or friends so if we end up homeless there is absolutely no-one to care,” the tenant wrote.

“Our rent has increased by $25 per week in the last three years as suits our landlord/agent and paying much more will cause us financial hardship.

“We have a maximum of about 18 months left and then our rental will be getting unliveable.”

The tenant said they were on every waiting list for housing and had to give up their university studies because waiting to receive a rental renewal “nearly caused me to have a mental breakdown”.

“How can you help? Remind everyone that it was the major parties who created this disaster of epic proportions and any solution suggested by them is laughable.

“Maybe we need a new vision like Menzies whose policies allowed everyone to be home owners with a high standard of living.”

A waterlogged and rotting door one Adelaide renter has to put up with because the landlord won't fix the problem. Picture: Supplied by tenant

‘I’M SCARED SHE WILL EVICT ME’

Kilkenny

ISSUES: Broken down heating system. Problems with hot water system.

This tenant said she had asked her landlady to fix the reverse-cycle air-conditioning in the house she had been renting for 10 years.

“The heater side of it breaks down in winter. She told me to buy an electric heater.

“She refuses to do any maintenance using her health as an excuse”.

The tenant said her rent had been increased twice, despite the lack of maintenance and that she often has trouble reaching her landlady to report issues with the property.

“I am a full time carer of my 87 year old mother who has dementia.

“I don’t want to cause trouble (because) I am scared she will evict me.

“I am waiting for (the) Housing Trust to find us a home but it’s been years.”

LAUNDRY MISSING FLOORS, WALLS

Magill

Image supplied.

ISSUES: Laundy missing floor and walls, no floor coverings downstairs because slab was not cured during build. Black mould. Noisy industrial funs and air purifiers. Mould spores from air-conditioner.

A single mother of three, this tenant said she had been paying $610 per week for her unfinished home. The upstairs area was the only part of the house “still intact”.

The laundry was missing floors and walls and the washing machine was plumbed outside.

“No floor coverings downstairs as slab was not cured during build. Black mould included in the rent.”

The tenant said her landlord had offered a rent reduction but asked that she continue to pay the full amount and he would pay her back.

“If you are interested in this delightful half a property please make your enquiry to the single mother of three who can’t get a real estate agent to call her back because she’s a single mother of three, despite being able to pay over $600 a week.”

WOODEN PALLET FOR A GATE

Elizabeth Grove

ISSUES: Side gate needs replacing. Shower drains in need of repair. Walls need repainting.

This tenant said he and his partner were living in their rental property with their toddler.

“When we moved in we were told that the back gate would be fixed (side gate as we live on a corner) but (it) never has (been).

“We have a wooden pallet and not a gate sitting on the side of the house to ‘block off’ the back from the front yard and the landlord has done absolutely nothing to fix it and to top it off, we haven’t been able to shower at all due to the shower drains not being fixed so it’s making our house damn near unliveable at this point.

“Oh and one more thing, the walls need to be repainted and that was also a promise that was made but has it been done? No.”