40yo renter reveals grim reality after rental increase

A Melbourne comedian has revealed the landlord act that left her feeling “worthless”, branding the city’s rental crisis a “dumpster fire”.

Sarah Bartolo is currently experiencing every renter’s nightmare. She’s watching new potential tenants inspect her apartment, which she cannot afford.

Ms Bartolo, 40, is a comedian, actor, and studio assistant who lives in the trendy suburb of Brunswick East in Melbourne.

Her lease ends in August, and her real estate agent informed her that the landlord wants to increase the rent from $423 per week to $523 per week.

She’s been priced out of her apartment and, as if that news hasn’t been tough enough to face, she’s now stuck living in a unit hosting inspections for potential new tenants.

“I am showing this couple how amazing this apartment is without them knowing I am being forced to find alternative accommodation because I can’t currently afford this one-bedroom apartment,” she said.

It is part of the process of being a tenant when you’re not renewing your lease to have people come and inspect the apartment but Ms Bartolo said the process has made her feel “deflated and worthless” because the reason she’s leaving is because she’s been priced out.

“I am showing these potential new tenants the apartment that I’ve been priced out of, telling them how amazing it is and that I love living there without them knowing why I have to leave. I felt like I was in a Black Mirror episode,” she told news.com.au.

Sarah Bartolo said the experience has made her feel ‘worthless’. Picture: Instagram/sarahtbartolo

She's now watching people apply for the apartment she can't afford. Picture: Instagram/sarahtbartolo

Ms Bartolo said that the rental crisis in Melbourne has become a “dumpster fire”, and she’s not exactly wrong.

According to data from REA’s PropTrack, the national rental vacancy rate, or the proportion of properties available for rent, is 1.42 per cent. In Melbourne, the vacancy rate is 1.5 per cent.

Plus according to the financial comparison website Mozo, the average Melbourne rent is sitting at $570, a 14 per cent increase from last year.

Once her lease ends, Ms Bartolo will move in with her family to save, not for a house deposit, but so she can afford another rental.

“I’ll be moving in with my family, who rent a house, for the next six months and, hopefully, I can save enough money to move into a place by myself again. But if it can’t, I would definitely need to move in with someone else, which doesn’t make me feel great,” she said.

“I love the security of living in an apartment building, and the freedom of living by yourself is incredible, especially when using my apartment for all my acting work. Moving further out would not be ideal as all my acting and comedy work is close to the city, but I might have no option.”

She can't afford her rental increase. Picture: Instagram/sarahtbartolo

The Melbourne comic revealed why she's moving home. Picture: Instagram/sarahtbartolo

Interestingly, Ms Bartolo’s rental issue on TikTok divided opinion, with not everyone being sympathetic to her situation.

One commented, “Imagine being 40 and not being able to afford a rent increase. You’re future is going to be grim.”

“I don’t think we are being told the full story here,” another claimed.

“Supply and demand,” another remarked.

However, there were those who seemed to feel for Ms Bartolo.

“So sorry to hear,” one person said.

“So heartbreaking,” another shared.

“We are screwed now,” another wrote.

Ms Bartolo is also single, and she feels that not having a dual income makes her even more impacted by the rental crisis.

“I definitely think it’s more difficult for single people to compete for properties in these areas. Half of my weekly wage goes onto rent, which doesn’t include bills, so we either have to find something far out or share it with people,” she said.

“There is nothing wrong with that, obviously, but even renting a room is exorbitant at the moment. As we live in a housing crisis and there are no regulations to cap rent increases, landlords are emboldened to charge whatever they want.”

Ultimately, the actor said that she’s had to “accept” not only are there suburbs she can’t afford to buy in, but that there are increasingly more suburbs where she can’t even afford to rent.

“I don’t think I can afford to rent an apartment by myself again in the same area. And even in places further out, it is becoming more and more difficult to secure a rental. There is so much competition for rental properties, and the prices keep on rising. It is a capitalist dystopian hell.”