State government’s pandemic rental relief rules fail landlords Peter and Vanessa McKenna

Heartbroken landlords – who are out of pocket thousands of dollars – have issued a heartfelt plea after tenants in their rental property have refused to pay rent under pandemic relief rules.

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FOR aged care workers Peter and Vanessa McKenna the past six months have been characterised by immense heartache, stress and tears.

The pair are owed more than $10,000 in rent backdated to April – unpaid under the guise of the state government’s pandemic tenancy relief rules – while also being out of pocket for court costs and realty fees for their nest egg investment property at Ulverstone.

And with no end in sight to their legal battle to evict their unpaying tenant it’s becoming too much for Mrs McKenna.

“It’s been horrendous. It’s got to the point where I’m at my wit’s end. It’s been really hard on the purse strings to find two lots of mortgage payments each fortnight,” she said.

“It’s on your mind 24/7 so it plays with your psyche, it plays with your emotions, your anxiety and your mental health. Even to the point where it affects your relationship because that’s all you talk about because you can’t get it off your mind.

“We’re just trying to make ends meet.”

Landlords Peter and Vanessa McKenna at Bellerive. Picture Chris Kidd

The McKennas are one of the many residential rental property owners short-changed after new rules brought in by the state government in May – designed to protect tenants from eviction – sanctioned rental waivers and put a freeze on evictions for rent arrears for 120 days.

Ben Bartl from the Tenants’ Union said while the moratorium was brought in to protect tenants during the health pandemic, the intention was not to disadvantage landlords.

He said the state government has since been listening to both landlord and tenant organisations, and is recognising the hardships with its COVID-19 assistance packages.

As of last fortnight, landlords are eligible for up to $6000 in relief grants.

But landlord advocate Louise Elliot says that while helpful the amount is not enough. She says the average arrears per instance is growing daily with little support for those affected and no clarity on when the protection will be lifted.

She is aware of at least $50,000 owed to at least a dozen property owners which is payable by tenants abusing the scheme.

Mrs Elliot, who is president of the newly formed Tasmanian Residential Rental Property Owners Association says she wants the myths broken that landlords are simply money hungry.

“Property owners are not monsters, they’re everyday people trying to ensure a better future for themselves. They are tradies, nurses, police officers, single mums and even students. These people work hard, contribute to our community and also happen to own rental property,” she said.

Landlords Peter and Vanessa McKenna at Bellerive. Picture Chris Kidd

The McKennas’ case is ongoing.

The South Arm couple has issued four notices for vacant possession, each unanswered.

They now have a sale contract out on their rental home, with concerns it will fall through without the guarantee of vacant possession.

“I’ve rung everyone and sundry, from the residential tenancy commission to legal centres and ministers’ offices. I’ve even spoken to the Premier himself,” said Mrs McKenna.

“I sympathise with any tenant facing hardship. You don’t want anyone to not have somewhere to live but it’s not our fault so at the end of the day why do we have to bear the brunt of it? It’s just not fair.”