Couple reveal how rent crisis left them stranded for six months
Renters Cecilia and Jack spent six months not knowing if they’d have a roof over their heads and blame an “unfair” regulation.
It took these renters six months to secure a new rental.
After that harrowing experience, they think the system gives landlords a disproportionate amount of power in the rental hunger games.
They’re among a growing cohort of renters being left stranded by the rental crisis, forced to lower their living standards and adjust their lifestyles just to keep a roof over their head.
Jack Ellis and partner Cecilia Hollins said they only secured a rental property after actively looking since October.
They had been living separately prior to this, but started looking together after Mr Ellis’ rent went up almost 30 per cent.
Before that, Ms Hollins had been seeking a studio as a single renter for months but struggled to find anything suitable.
“Every place we went to it was the same price but lower quality or at a much higher price and had up to 20 or 30 groups with lines down the street,” Mr Ellis said.
MORE: Crazy reason tenants asked to vacate home
Before the couple moved in together, Ms Hollins was living in a large share house and had hoped to live by herself in a studio apartment.
She had been looking separately for six months and couldn’t find an affordable or appropriate studio.
“I think it’s pretty disappointing, I was thinking I’m a full time working person, I’ve been working full time for over three years now, surely that will give me enough to live by myself,” she said.
“But the rental crisis has pushed prices up so much more than what my salary has, so that’s been pretty killer.”
The couple decided to pair up with friends and look for a bigger property to share together.
“It’s been a massive cycle of re-evaluating our expectations because what we were able to get maybe two to three years ago, now that’s not possible.”
MORE: Experts reveal: foolproof tips to score a new rental
After looking for a share house for four people and not having any luck, they then looked for three people and were still unable to lock down a lease.
Demand for share houses has surged, with data from flatmates.com.au show single rooms are being rented out for as much as $690 a week.
Real Estate Institute of Australia (REIA) President, Leanne Pilkington said the low supply and high demand was putting pressure on rentals.
“Lack of supply and long-term planning has caused rents to progressively rise and until we have an adequate number of homes to house Australians there is unlikely to be any reversal in rental vacancy and median rents,” Ms Pilkington said.
Mr Ellis said that despite both the couple having “good jobs, the grim part is we both are still somehow feeling it.”
The couple, who are in their mid to late 20s, said they regularly talk to friends their age who all fear they won’t ever be able to afford to escape the rental cycle.
“We all talk about how we are never going to be able to buy in the areas we want to live in unless we have parents or someone to help us out,” he said.
The couple said they felt lucky that they were able to find and afford a place together after searching for so long.
“I can’t even imagine what people who have kids or people that don’t have stable jobs like we do are feeling,” Ms Hollins said.
After six months of looking, the couple finally found a new home in Marrickville in Sydney’s inner west.
MORE: Horror home has shock $3m price tag
Bank of mum and dad facing competition
Originally published as Couple reveal how rent crisis left them stranded for six months