A young Australian woman claims she was forced to move back home after her landlord raised her rent – even though they don’t have a mortgage.
Gemma Upson-McPike, 27, shared her plight in a TikTok video with the caption: “Rental Crisis Rant”.
Ms Upson-McPike said she was forced to move back in with her parents after her landlord raised the rent to $450 a week, from $280 when she moved into the one-bedroom apartment in Melbourne three years ago.
Ms Upson-McPike said what “really hurts her” is that she is “99 per cent sure” the landlord doesn’t have a mortgage “so that can’t even be an excuse “.
“I know for a fact that she owns two investment properties,” Ms. Upson-McPike said, adding that the landlord has owned her rental since the 1980s.
In a viral video, Melbourne fitness trainer Gemma Upson-McPike complained about having to move back in with her parents following steep rent increases.
She described the apartment as “small” and “nothing fancy” and said it was located in an “old building”.
“Of course I live in a good suburb, I’m probably just paying for the location,” Ms Upson-McPike said.
“I have to pay to do my laundry, there are cracks in the walls. It’s not worth $450 a week; That’s about two thousand dollars a month.
Ms Upson-McPike, citing her job as a fitness trainer, said her salary was not “outstanding”.
“The rent has never been late, my inspections have always been absolutely impeccable,” she said.
Ms Upson-McPike said moving back in with her parents was not the “plan I had for my 27-year-old self, but that’s how bad the rental crisis is at the moment”.
“I’m so lucky and so grateful to be able to move back in with my parents, but not everyone can do that, so what’s your alternative? ” she asked.
“You are homeless. »
She said homeownership was a fading dream for people her age.
“This is why my generation can’t progress, why we can’t buy houses,” she said.
“I pay $20,000 a year in rent, but if I applied for a mortgage they wouldn’t see it because she can pay $20,000 a year.
“I have no savings because of what I paid in rent and bills.
Ms Upson-McPike said she would try to save money now that she was heading home, although she would have to pay for a much longer journey to Melbourne because her parents live on the “other side of Geelong.
“The government needs to tackle this problem because the state of the rental market right now is absolutely screwed,” she said.
Many social media users agreed with her sentiment, with some admitting they were in a similar situation.
A number of those who commented Ms Upson-McPike shared their stories of rental frustration.
“I’m 31. I moved back home because I can’t pay my mortgage anymore,” one person said.
“I rent it now. This is the new normal.
“DW girl, I’m 29 (30 in five months) and I live with my mom,” another replied.
“This is horrible,” another TikTok user wrote.
“I’m sorry you’re going through this. My 14 year old son is already worried about what kind of job he needs to pay the cost of living and that he will never be able to move out. It’s sad,” said another.
“I’m 54, a renter and still trying to save for a house deposit,” said another, proving the problem doesn’t just affect millennials and Gen Z.
“I just started work and pay $500 a week for rent in a rural Queensland town with a drug depot around the corner,” another comment read.
However, not everyone was as friendly.
“Looks like a pretty new car and coffee in hand,” one person noted.
“Like everything, they want everything now and complain. PS, I’m only 37 years old.
“Anyone want to mention the nice car and the Starbucks coffee…” asked another.
Ms Upson-McPike responded that her car was just a 2012 Holden Barina and also clarified that her latest rent increase was from $390 a week to $450.
Some comments were in favor of the owner.
“The owner would pay higher advice rates, higher bodywork rates and higher insurance rates,” one person wrote.
“As a homeowner, I can tell you that the cost of interest, insurance and repairs has increased significantly,” replied another.
“So, isn’t it fair to pass on such increases?
Others thought Ms Upson-McPike’s rent didn’t seem that excessive given the likely cost of the apartment would be $750,000.
Some argued that his financial knowledge needed improvement.
“Do you think $20,000 a year will pay off a mortgage? they say.
One commenter decided to add a little dry humor.
“The problem, guys, is you’re not saving money and you’re only spending on Netflix, coffee and phones,” he said.
“If you save that money, you could have the house in 1,874 years.”
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