Barry Plant property manager tells landlords to ‘always put your rent up’ to help tenants avoid market pricing
A real estate agency released and then deleted some startling advice for landlords, which a well-known critic claims says the “quiet part out loud.”
A real estate agency has caused controversy after it released a tip for landlords telling them to “always put your rent up” as a favour to tenants so they don’t get priced out of the market.
In the since-deleted video, a property manager for Barry Plant Korumburra was asked for a “market tip for the day”.
“My tip is for landlords this time – always put your rent up, even if it’s just slightly, $5 is enough,” the property manager replied.
“Nothing crazy, just because if you don’t put your rent up, you price your tenants out of the market, should something happen.
“If you sell, or something else happens, and you need to take the property back, your tenants won’t be able to afford the kind of living that they’re used to.”
The video was later shared by housing activist and former Senate candidate Jordan van den Lamb, known by the social media handle Purple Pingers. It garnered more than 120,000 views while Aussies criticised the property manager’s advice as “crazy” and “unbelievable”.
Mr van den Lamb said he initially thought the footage was fake.
“Usually when you feel a bit outraged at a clip that you see online, it’s probably designed that way, but this is just a real estate agent doing real estate agent things,” Mr van den Lamb told news.com.au.
The agency has since issued an apology over the video but maintained that it was made with “good intentions” and the agent’s message was about how gradual rent increases were better for tenants than a sudden “big hike” in rent.
Mr van den Lamb called the apology “incredibly patronising”.
“To say that there’s good intentions means they think that they’re correct – they’re fine with the content that they’ve put out,” he said.
“Everyone is aware of the situation facing tenants in the market and the idea that landlords are doing tenants a favour by increasing rents, just so they’re aware that everyone else is also struggling – that is just ridiculous, it’s so out of touch.
“And it also kind of reveals the mindset that real estate agents have … They’ve said the quiet part out loud.”
Barry Plant CEO Lisa Pennell told news.com.au the company took the video down “almost immediately” after learning it had caused offence.
“The property manager featured has offered an unreserved apology. Her intent was to explain the benefits of small, incremental rent adjustments — in some cases as little as $5 — to avoid tenants experiencing financial shock from large increases later. Unfortunately, this was not communicated clearly, and we accept it was ill-judged,” Ms Pennell said.
“There was never any suggestion of encouraging predatory or above-market rent increases.
“That said, we understand why the video caused upset, and we sincerely apologise for any distress.
“We recognise the current rental environment in Victoria is challenging for both tenants and landlords, with rising costs and complex legislation placing pressure on all parties.”
Housing expert Chris Martin, from the University of New South Wales, said the Barry Plant video raised an interesting question about how rents are set – and who decides.
“This is an under-examined issue, but just last week a research report was published on the issue by the Consumer Policy Research Centre and Tenants Victoria,” Mr Martin said.
“One finding of the report is that it is usually property managers, rather than landlords, who initiate rent increases.
“If rent increases decisions are being made at the level of the managers – who each manage hundreds of rental properties – rather than the landlords, who mostly own one or two, the rental housing sector may be less competitive than is usually presumed.”
Mr Martin said he disagreed with the point made in the video – and the agency’s apology – that raising rents could help tenants.
“Of course, they are kidding themselves if they think a rent increase is in the tenant’s interest. “It benefits the landlord and the agent, obviously, not the tenant.
“The tenant pays more but gets nothing more in return from the landlord – it is the same old house, now just a year older.”
Tenants’ Union of NSW chief executive Leo Patterson Ross agreed that a “rent increase is never better than no increase”.
“Trying to claim otherwise is a symptom of Australia’s unhealthy and poorly regulated rental system where people are pitched against each other to access their basic right to a home,” Mr Ross said.
The national median advertised weekly reached $630 in the March 2025 quarter, a 1.6 per cent quarterly increase, and a 5 per cent annual rise from the previous year, according to PropTrack.
Median rents in capital cities stood at $650 per week, while regional rents were $550 per week.
