Ellen Bathgate reveals violence and death threats against real estate agents

Real estate agents are receiving death threats and being punched in the face by angry tenants who destroy the properties they are living in and refuse to pay rent.

Sydney property manager Ellen Bathgate was in her 20s when an angry tenant who owed $10,000 in rent physically assaulted her when wages were garnisheed to pay the debt.

“She actually punched me in the face and spent a significant amount of time yelling at me,” Ms Bathgate said.

“That certainly rattled me and was probably one of the most unsettling events because I lived in a regional town and I saw her again in town”.

After the tenant was evicted Ms Bathgate discovered one of the most damaged and dirty properties she had ever seen.

“There was clearly drug use in the property, there were syringes on the floor,” she said.

Through her career she’s seen holes in the wall, burnt floorboards and other damage after a tenant experiences either a loss of health, loss of relationship or a loss of job, a drug problem or because of domestic violence.

Ellen Bathgate Former real estate agent and property manager who has worked in the industry since she was 18 and suffered mental health challenges as a result of the stresses and toxic culture of the industry. Picture: Supplied

Threats, violence and extreme stress brought on by 11 hour days triggered mental health problems for the 38-year-old.

The property manager now runs her a property management training company Rent Roll Starter but said the culture of some big agencies required employees to feel they had to be available for tenants and owners 24/7.

“I have a history of self harm. I don’t want to glorify it and I wouldn’t ever want someone to wonder if that would help and try it themselves,” she said.

“I have much more constructive ways of dealing with anxiety now, but that’s how bad it got,” she said.

One of the biggest changes she made when she set up her own business was to never allow her employees to give out their mobile phone number so they could keep their works hours reasonable.

Beyond Blue’s lead clinical adviser Dr Grant Blashki’s top tips on managing stress if you are a real estate agent:

WARNING SIGNS STRESS IS BECOMING A MENTAL HEALTH CONDITION

* Recurrent thoughts that are very negative, particularly things like self-criticism, self-blame. For example you don’t manage to sell your houses one weekend and you read into that, that you failed when multiple factors that could have led to that – things on the market, interest rates, preparation of the house.

*using alcohol to try and manage the stress.

*Getting into conflict

*Not switching off from work or being away from your phone

*Withdrawing from social activities or relationships

SIMPLE STEPS YOU CAN TAKE TO IMPROVE YOUR MENTAL HEALTH

*Get enough sleep

*Plug your phone in to charge outside the bedroom overnight

*Don’t overdo alcohol

*Avoid drugs

*Exercise regularly

*Make connections and build relationships with people you trust.

SIMPLE STEPS EMPLOYERS CAN TAKE

*Reasonable work hours. A mentally healthy workplace should have some policies around being able to switch off and set hours about when it is reasonable for you to be on the phone and reply to emails.

*Clear job descriptions. Employers must be about what they are asking employees to deliver. Having unrealistic expectations about what young employees do is likely to see them burnout and is the best way to cause them to be stressed.

BEYOND BLUE FREE SERVICE NEW ACCESS SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS

Beyond Blue offers six free mental health coaching sessions for owners of small businesses,

including real estate agents.

People in small business that understand the real pressures business people are under are specially trained to be mental health coaches.

They’re not psychologists, but they provide basic problem solving and behavioural advice.

You can participate on phone or video or face-to-face where Covid allows.

Access this service by going to the beyondblue website or phoning 1300 945 301.

Originally published as Ellen Bathgate reveals violence and death threats against real estate agents