Single mum rejected from rentals over 'safety' concerns for her child

"Parents know what is safe for their children and how to protect them from potential hazards. Homelessness is more of a risk," the Aussie mum said about the "patronising" reasons given.

Eleanor Katelaris

4 min read

June 9, 2023 - 12:50PM

Parenting

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A Byron Bay single-mum has been desperately searching for a detached studio to live in with no success.

The mum, who posted in a Byron Bay renatals Facebook group, vented online about how she's been turned away from various properties over "safety concerns" about having a child.

However, she claims that these reasons are "beyond patronising and insincere" and believes that property managers and rental discrimination are to blame.

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The six 'safety' reasons she's been turned away as a single parent

"I’d like to share my experience over the last three months as a single parent looking for a detached studio in the area. Below is a list of ‘safety reasons’ that I’ve been turned away for as a single parent," the mum begins her post.

The reasons were:

1. There’s a pool on the property (which I could see was fenced from the pictures)

2. There’s a dam on the property

3. There are electric fences on the property

4. There’s a veranda that they could fall off

5. There’s a TV in the house that sits low and is not secured

6. The studio has a mezzanine

She also added sarcastically that the "best" replies were when people just blatantly ignored her applications altogether or said they had "concerns regarding noise."

Image: IStock

"These responses are beyond patronising and insincere"

The mum points out, "Funnily enough, my childhood home had a pool with no fence, a dam, electric fences, a veranda (which was incomplete for years and had no railings) and a TV… and miraculously I live to tell the tale!"

The mum said that it's condescending that people use 'faux safety concerns' as a reason to reject potential tenants.

"Parents know what is safe for their children and how to protect them from potential hazards," she insisted.

"I get that if you don’t have kids, you don’t want them in the granny flat under your house, but these were all properties where the studios were detached and well away from the main house," she continued.

"Please do better for your community and consider housing children or at the very least stop using safety as an excuse," the mum concluded.

"Homelessness is less safe for children than a house with a TV in it."

"Single parents should get preference, not be a hindrance"

After reading the mum's post, many users expressed their sympathy and shared outrage over the situation in the comments.

"I’m so sorry that’s happening to you," said one supportive person. "And what utter rubbish from the property owners!!! All of us who grew up [in Byron] were mostly on farms and would disappear for the whole day to play around creeks, electric fences and all sorts of things. It was a part of growing up!"

"Totally agree with your post!" a different member said. "We had a hard time finding a house because of having a baby. Families and especially single parents should get preference, not be a hindrance. We’ve now found a place with a beautiful community that loves our baby, so it is possible but can be hard."

"I’m sorry it’s been so hard for you. I struggled to secure a studio with an indoor cat and I’m mature age working full time! Good luck," said another.

Then a fellow single mum said it took over "100 attempts" to get herself and her two sons a place, despite having a high income and the same employer for 18 years.

"It was always the fact of 'child risk'," she explained. "It was mentally exhausting, but I always like to think that the ones giving you sh*tty excuses are not the people you want around your children anyway."

"People's attitudes towards kids in rentals is DISGUSTING'

Another group member said: "People use those ‘reasons’ as a polite way of saying ‘I don’t want a kid on the property’. Like seriously, if you’re gonna be one of those landlords just advertise if it’s kids/pets friendly from the get-go and save everyone’s time."

"It never ends... the lack of community responsibility for the raising of the next generation," mused a different woman.

"I’ll never forget when trying to explain to my son why we kept getting knocked back despite having outstanding references, that we are always the last chosen because society has lost its taste for kids… he said to me baffled and confused, all 11 years of him, 'But mums like you should be first in line because other people just have more support."

Another comment read: "The attitude towards renting to children and providing them homes is DISGUSTING around here. People need to take a good hard look at themselves."

And this person offered this helpful advice: "That sucks, I experienced a lot of the same stuff when I had a baby as a single mum, a friend offered me some advice that worked... put an ad in the paper (or online) about who you are and what you're looking for. She said to never apologise for having a child and you will get people coming to you."