Twenty-nine-year-old Himanshu Bansal’s rental accommodation in Melbourne turned out to be a ‘huge nightmare’ when he first arrived in Melbourne as an international student.
"One day I found mice as I woke up at 2 am in the night. They were eating my food in the kitchen. I told the owner about the problem instantly. Hearing about the problem, he knew what needed to be done because this was a historical problem it seemed.
"I didn't care much after that, thinking it will be resolved. A few days later, one early morning, just before I woke up, I realised something touched my bare feet as I got up from my bed.
"I found mice in my room. I was totally shocked by what happened. I asked the owner again and he told me that there were some secret passages in this house which mice knew of. He closed those holes and the problem apparently got resolved," Bansal said.
But the relief was short-lived.
Soon he faced a sewage problem in the house he was renting.
Bansal is among thousands of Indian migrants who arrive in Australia to work or study and have experienced poor living conditions in their rented accommodation.
Source: Supplied
A new report on renting shows there are many like him who are living in despair in poor quality homes across Australia.
Disrupted: the consumer experience of renting in Australia, commissioned by CHOICE, National Shelter and the National Association of Tenant Organisations (NATO), delved into the renting experiences in Australia and found renters who live in poor quality homes are afraid to request repairs, fear being evicted and struggle with affording rent and keep up with the cost of living.
From hot water issues to pests and cockroaches to mould in bathrooms and bedrooms, renters put up with poor living conditions rather than requesting repairs for the fear of being evicted or an increase in rent, the report found.
Australia accounts for 2.6 million renting households and the report shows that New South Wales, more than any other state or territory leads the country in insecure leases and substandard housing.
Closeup on the water damaged ceiling Source: Getty Images
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56 per cent of NSW renters reported their homes needed repair and more 55 per cent renters in NSW are worried about being evicted if they ask for repairs.
NSW also has the highest reported incidences of mould problems in their bathroom with one in five reporting mould problems in their bedrooms.
NSW also tops the country for the highest proportion of non-fixed term leases – 39 per cent of NSW rental arrangements are rolling, periodic or non-fixed.
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“None of us should find it acceptable that our families and loved ones have to deal with such substandard housing in such a wealthy country. This research shows the need to make renting fair. As we head into an election next year, all parties should show leadership on this issue”, Mr Patterson Ross said.
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