‘No choice’: Rat-infested nightmare is Sydney mum’s reality

One mum’s horror story has revealed the extent of Australia’s housing crisis, forced to fork out hundreds for a rat and mould infested property.

One Sydney mum is living the reality of a housing nightmare, forced to fork out hundreds of dollars to live in a rat and mould infested property.

After waiting years for public housing, mum-of-seven Herbriella George was forced to move into the home after failing to secure a rental property from the 60 to 70 properties she applied for.

She says there’s a mould problem in the home and that its infested with rodents, who she calls “pet rats”.

Ms George says she her only options are to live in the home or in her car.

She pays $450 a week for this rental in South Sydney.

‘I had no choice but to live in that or the other option is to live in my car,’ Ms George told The Project.

Ms George said she applied for the rundown $450 property because she “knew no one would apply”.

“The condition of the home is not liveable, it’s unhealthy, it’s unsafe for my children” she said.

Because of the property and the cost of living crisis, she isn’t able to have all of her children at home.

Three of them live with their father due to him being in a better financial position.

She says there are rats in the property.

And that she's been forced to throw away her belongings due to mould.

“I had to give four of my children up because I just couldn’t afford them anymore,” Ms Gould said.

“It makes me break down that I can’t give my kids the home they deserve.”

Her 11-month-old son has gone to hospital twice for respiratory issues, something she says is due to the mould in the property.

“Is it going to take a death in my family for [the government] to look at me and my kids?” she asked through tears.

She’s forced to throw away some of her belongings due to the mould.

There are currently nearly 60,000 people on a waiting list for social housing in NSW, many of whom who have been waiting 10 years for a property.

Ms George says she is one of those people,

Originally published as ‘No choice’: Rat-infested nightmare is Sydney mum’s reality