Aussie vet worker forced out of home after 'enormous' rent rise: 'Not fair'
The Sydney woman says Australia's rental crisis has been 'devastating and stressful for so many'.
A Sydney woman and her pets are being forced out of their home after an "enormous rent increase" on her one-bedroom property, as Aussies continue to grapple with soaring prices.
Rosie Hitchcock has lived in the Drummoyne apartment for almost one year, but the "astronomical" jump from $420 to $550 a week means she can no longer afford it.
Ms Hitchcock told Yahoo News Australia that being forced out of the area could "be very detrimental to [her] well-being" and would mean she'd be unable to care for her pets the way she wants to. The 35-year-old has worked in client services at the local veterinary hospital for seven years and fears leaving her flat would mean she'd have to leave her job too.
"I need somewhere very close to work as I have to pop home once each day to let my beautiful dog out for some fresh air and to the toilet," she said. "I'm a part of this community having worked at the vet for so long and supported many families with their pets and in turn, I have a loving and supportive community here for me too".
Desperate Facebook plea for suitable property
Ms Hitchcock admits Australia's rental crisis has been "devastating and stressful for so many" and despite being "the perfect tenant", her landlord is "not willing to negotiate" price. She also implied the property was in poor condition and not worth the extra weekly cost.
"[The property] has no ceiling fans or air-con, an original kitchen which is falling apart and an original pink bathroom where the hot tap doesn’t work for the bath," she said, adding "it's so unfair".
Ms Hitchcock addressed locals on a community Facebook page on Friday with the hope someone might have a place where she could live. She's looking for something suitable for her "perfectly well-behaved golden retriever" and her "gorgeous cat Cleo".
"I’m appealing to anyone who may have a granny flat, garden studio or an apartment that they’d consider leasing to me. I only need somewhere with one bedroom — I don’t need a huge place," she wrote. "A courtyard, access to a small garden or a balcony would also be lovely if possible. I have an exemplary rental history, and I’m an ideal tenant."
Community support for vet worker
Her Facebook post has racked up dozens of comments, with some people agreeing her situation is extremely unfair. "It's borderline criminal what landlords are doing to some people. It's a shame their financial miscalculations/mismanagement have to impact people who stay within their means," one person fumed.
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Others expressed their concern for Ms Hitchcock and wished her luck in "finding an affordable and happy place to live." Some offered up properties they knew were available but she feared they were too far away.
The vet worker said she's happy to look for a housemate to help bear the costs but admits it'll still be "hard". "There is such a huge shortage of houses in the $800-$900 per week category," she said.
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