Wantirna Caravan Park tenants say they may be forced out because of rent hike

PEOPLE living in a caravan park in Melbourne’s outer east say they may be forced to live out of their cars after new owners hiked up the rent.

Trevor Russell fears for his future with the rent for his site at the Wantirna Caravan Park set to increase. Picture: Lawrence Pinder

Wantirna Caravan Park residents say they may be forced to live out of their cars after the new owners raised the rent, in some cases by more than 50 per cent.

Trevor Russell, 60, said he was shocked to get a letter from Wantirna Park Estate, the new owners of the park, which said his weekly rent of $124 would increase by $64 – 52 per cent – from November 14.

Mr Russell, who is on a disability pension, said he and others were shocked at the increase.

He said 90 per cent of people who lived there permanently were elderly, or on a disability or

old-age pension.

The owners of the Wantirna Caravan Park are looking to increase the rent. Picture: Lawrence Pinder

“There are more than 300 people who live in the park … it’s such a big increase and it’s going to be hard for a lot of people. They (the owners) are really driving us out of our homes.”

Mr Russell, a former bus driver, stopped work 10 years ago due to anxiety and depression, and has lived in the park for seven years.

He said he may now be forced to buy a van to live in as he has “nowhere else to go”.

Keith Smart, 66, said his rent increase – from $118 to $170 a week – was “just ridiculous” and he had written to Consumer Affairs asking for an investigation.

Consumer Affairs Victoria spokeswoman Kim Healey said residents could apply for an independent assessment of a rent increase and the authority would then compare similar parks.

In an email, the management of the park said it looked at rents for comparable parks and found prices at Wantirna Park were “well below market rates”, so the increase was in line with that.

It said it was awaiting a report from Consumer Affairs about residents’ concerns.

Wantirna Caravan Park

■ The 203 Mountain Highway site became a caravan park in 1989

■ There are three long-term types of accommodation – mobile homes, park cabins and caravans

■ The site has provided affordable accommodation for residents, including many on pensions

■ In 2013, there were reports of up to 100 desperate people on a waiting list to move into the park.