Our Stories

"The problem with the renting system is the power imbalance between landlords and tenants, and this can only be solved by taking steps to decouple people's homes from other people's investments. We are sacrificing people's dignity in the name of returns."

Lauren and her partner Jason have been renting together in Sydney since 2016 and have been in their current rental since April 2023. This follows two no grounds eviction notices in two years.

"The landlord told me he was selling, he lied. If he had been honest then I would have had options. Being put in this situation dictates your life, you feel completely out of control. It’s not a good feeling."

"It’s very stressful. Every day we find ourselves discussing the budget, how we can manage to stay in the area. A lot of people are struggling right now but they’re not speaking – I want to speak on behalf of everyone in this situation."

"I spent most of the day crying. I felt confused because I wasn't given a reason for needing to move out. In the end, I found that it was so they could raise the rent by $80 a week. I’ve calculated that in the 12 months I lived in that apartment I paid $24,440 off the owner's mortgage."

"It's the first time that we have been able to make a home - with all the little bohemian and bespoke pieces we adore. Our home gives us the space and safety we need to create art and music."

"If we knew we didn’t have to worry about being chucked out just for asking, it’d be great to have things in our home working properly. Our landlord isn’t a bad guy, he’s just your average landlord, but the laws need to change. We need to end ‘no grounds’ evictions"

"Neither pet is destructive or disruptive, but if something happens they have a $3,500 bond, and I’d fix it. In over 20 years of renting I have NEVER had the problems encountered in the last 2 and a half years. You rent, you clean up, leave then get your bond back to use on the next place."

“The agent found it easier to go after her than the perpetrator because they saw her as more vulnerable, a softer target. She’s a 16-year-old doing the best she can in difficult circumstances."