Tenant of Salisbury house loses right to stay in home of 22 years

A Brisbane tenant for whom Mayoral candidate Jonathan Sriranganathan organised an anti-eviction protest, has lost her legal fight to avoid eviction from her Salisbury home of 22 years.

The Salisbury house, from which Stephenie Cridland has been evicted by order of QCAT. Picture Core Logic

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A Brisbane tenant for whom Lord Mayoral candidate Jonathan Sriranganathan organised an anti-eviction protest, has lost her legal fight to avoid eviction.

In a decision handed down on February 12 by Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal member Michelle Lember, a warrant of possession was issued over the Salisbury home rented by Stephanie Cridland for more than 22 years.

Ms Lember ordered that the warrant take effect from February 12 until February 25.

The ruling comes a month after Mr Sriranganathan held a protest rally outside the house on Golda Ave, which was bought 22 years ago by 101-year-old Grace Fry.

She later transferred it to her son Chris, property records state.

The house is going under the hammer on March 23.

The real estate listing describes the home as sitting on a 2023sqm block and a “lucrative development venture”.

It’s a three-bedroom house that RP Data estimates has a value of $1.3m, and was purchased for $130,000 in 2001.

“Situated in a quiet pocket of Salisbury, this level block boasts two street access and a generous 20m frontage,” the description states.

Mr Fry told the QCAT that he is a self-funded retiree in his 70s, supporting his 101-year-old mother who currently resides in rental accommodation but now requires a move into residential aged care, funded by proceeds from the sale of the home.

A warrant of possession has been issued over the Salisbury home rented by Stephanie Cridland for over 22 years. Picture: Facebook

He told the tribunal that the Salisbury property has been significantly under-rented for many years, and rental payments are often in arrears.

By last week, rent was paid to December 29, with arrears in excess of $2,000, the tribunal decision states.

“Rent payments have, at times, been in arrears up to 100 days. This is supported by the tenancy ledgers tendered,” the decision states.

Ms Lember acknowledged the impact upon Ms Cridland of losing her twenty-two-year tenancy “might be grievous”.

“Leaving a twenty-two-year tenancy will cause hardship,” the decision noted.

The tribunal found that Ms Cridland had been given enough time to prepare to leave her home, as the first notice to leave had been given to her on August 5 last year for an October 28 home handover.

Ms Cridland failed to leave the home when her lease ended on October 28, so the managing real estate agent for Mr Fry got orders terminating the tenancy and a warrant of possession from February 1.

Police forewarned Ms Cridland that they intended to execute the warrant on February 6, so she then applied to QCAT to fight the decision terminating her tenancy.