Renters share horror stories from the frontlines of Sydney’s unfair rental crisis
From sharing a bedroom in a hostel to copping massive price hikes or returning to the mile-long queues for rental inspections. It’s hard out there.
The rental crisis is reaching boiling point in Sydney as renters are given no choice but to take extreme lengths to put a roof over their head.
Renters who are feeling the heat as landlords push prices up have been taking extreme steps to ensure they have somewhere to live.
For months shocking pictures have emerged showing long lines of hopefuls queuing to view rental properties across Australia.
Competition for rental properties remains fierce with the hottest markets being in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne.
And as supply remains low, prices continue to be pushed at accelerated rates.
The crisis has created a population of young people who are growing up without ever imagining they will become a part of the rental market after being priced out entirely.
Freelance videographer James Mort has been forced to weigh up his options after he received an email from his landlord earlier this week.
His Bondi apartment is going up by almost $600 a month.
“I was expecting it but that doesn’t get rid of the sting,” he said.
He said he finds it frustrating more and more people are being priced out of their suburbs.
“I think Bondi has always had a reputation of being quite expensive compared to the rest of Sydney, but also has families who have lived here long before it was gentrified.”
“It feels very unfair that year on year we have to pay more as renters but we don’t see any increase in the quality of what we’re getting and what we’re paying for.”
Sales assistant Elvira Brillantes shares a two-bedroom Bronte apartment with cafe worker Alice Wendel and a third housemate for $930 total a week.
“We raised it by $100 more and that’s how we got it,” Ms Brillantes said.
The friends moved over from Sweden last year and rather than give up on the dream of living by the city’s iconic coastline, they settled for sharing a bedroom.
Ms Brillantes said she doesn’t think her landlord will raise the rent because they already paying over the asking price but is worried about having to go back into the rental market.
Continue the conversation: madeleine.achenza@news.com.au
Tradies Fin Empson and Ollie Chan, both 19, have also been sharing a bedroom for $500 a week.
The pair from Leeds in the United Kingdom have been living and working in Australia for several months.
They have decided to live in a hostel rather than try their luck in Sydney’s rental market.
“I’d much prefer to have my own room in a house than sharing a bedroom with my mate, but I can’t afford it,” Mr Empsom said.
The two tradies will return home in the middle of the year to start their university courses but say the situation is just as dire back home.
“It’s much worse over there,” Mr Empson said. “It’s just as high and the wage is worse.”
Cafe waitress Phoebe Colson, 19, has only been a renter for two days.
“I’ve been here about a month now and I’ve been doing numerous viewings a day and I’ve only recently, literally two days ago, found somewhere,” she said.
She’s sharing a $400 a week, two-bedroom apartment in Mascot which she says is a “bit higher” than she’d like but it’s been such a “struggle” to find a place.
She described nightmare scenes of waiting in lines that wrapped around inner-city blocks just to inspect a property, a major concern as she found her footing in a new city.
“Oh my gosh, they were awful,” she said.
“There would be hundreds of people waiting for the worst, tiny apartment ever.”
Tailor Walid Mikhael, 41, is a landlord and a renter.
He owned and lived in a property when he was younger but after the arrival of his twins his young family decided to move to a larger home.
“I’m in a unique situation in that I’m renting a place that’s owned by my cousin, so in terms of rent, I’m not really feeling it,” he said.
“He’s not charging me as much as he should be and in return, I’m not charging my tenants as much.”
Even though interest rates have gone through the roof, he said he is still able to manage it and avoid passing these costs onto his tenants.
When asked if he is worried about the future of the city his kids will grow up in he said: “I am, I don’t like the way things are going”.
University student Anand Masih, 25 has been living at home with his parents until he can save up for a home.
Like a number of people NCA NewsWire spoke to, he said he had never even considered renting in Australia.
“I will stay at home with my parents until I save up enough money to buy a home,” he said.
“I know it might take me a bit longer but I will get there eventually.”
Other 20-somethings in a similar boat said they had always known renting was off the cards for a number of reasons.
“It takes too long to save up to buy a place, if you’re spending all your money on rent,” one person said.
A growing portion of the younger generation have never even considered the prospect of leaving home before 25, if anything to get some space and independence from their parents or simply to live closer to where they work.
Aussie suburbs set to boom in 2025
‘A new era in property is approaching’ according to Aussie real estate guru John McGrath and these are the suburbs set to benefit most in 2025.
Best Aussie suburbs for home buyers, right now
These are the top suburbs to buy for Aussies looking for a new home right now.
Best and worst: Vacancy rates drop as rental crisis ramps up
Vacancy rates have further deteriorated across much of Australia, with just three cities recording a slight uptick in listings. See how your city or region compares.