Yahoo Finance Aussie single mum left 'heartbroken' by landlord's 'red flag' comment
Jessica said it's been really difficult to find a new rental property in Melbourne.
Jessica Das was venting on social media about the rental market in Melbourne when she came across a comment that left her "heartbroken". A landlord told her they would never approve her for a property because they believe single mums are a "huge red flag".
Farah Farouque from Tenants Victoria told Yahoo Finance residents across the state are being subjected to cruel biases at a time when rent prices are rising and vacancy rates are low. She added that no one should be discriminated against for a rental property, especially a young mum.
"People tell us that they're finding it very hard to find property," she said.
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"But certain groups are finding it more difficult, and there's no doubt that single mothers and older women are more squeezed than ever in their pursuit of rental properties.
"Several single mothers have written to our platform to say that they're dealing with unaffordable rent increases. So it's a real sort of wild west out there. It's the Hunger Games."
Consumer Affairs Victoria states that it's already illegal to discriminate against a potential tenant based on their age, marital status, race, religion, disability, carer status, family responsibilities, parental status, and many other factors.
But Farouque said there was a "hidden" form of discrimination that existed in the rental world and many applicants were disregarded because of certain factors.
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Rental market in high demand
Das posted a video on social media about how ridiculous it was to see a rental property in Melbourne already under application less than 24 hours after it was posted online.
"Is the rental market that demanding?" she asked.
"[Are] there that many people applying for rental properties that you have to snap up a rental property at 1am and apply for it at 1am in the morning?"
But in the comments section of her TikTok video, a property owner gave her their two cents about how they view potential tenants.
"As a landlord, single mum's are a huge red flag ... I never lease to them," they said.
Another property owner said it comes down to simple numbers when they choose a tenant.
"As a landlord the issue is usually the income. If rent is more than 1/3 of your income, then the [property manager] generally throws your application in the bin," they said.
Das said it exposed a dark reality of how people are viewed.
"This is so heartbreaking, like how many parents and their children have had to face really unfortunate circumstances like homelessness or couch surfing or living in their cars based on the beliefs of these people," she said in response.
'Single mums are great tenants': Sydney landlord speaks out
A Sydney landlord with three properties in her portfolio hit out at the property owner who claimed single mums are bad tenants.
Susan* said there was an incredibly unfair stigma attached to mum renters and, in her experience, they have been some of her best tenants.
"The single mums want to stay in their property and not cause a problem because they want to have stable housing," she told Yahoo Finance.
"They don't want any more grief. They just want a property that they can pay their rent on time and all the rest."
She's rented to nearly a dozen single mums over the last 24 years and said they have almost all been fantastic. On the other hand, she said she doesn't like to give her properties to men under the age of 30 because "they usually trash the property and they're usually a pain in the ass".
Jessica isn't alone in her struggle
Many mums flocked to Das' video to share a similar experience of finding it tough to get a roof over their heads.
"It took me 13 months for a landlord to choose me as a single parent. I have an extremely well-paying job and was turned down by 100s of rentals," said one person.
"Yep I was homeless 6 months because I was a low-income single mum! Despite multiple real estate references who said I was an amazing tenant," wrote another.
Zoe Somers was forced to find a new property when her rent increased by 30 per cent to $640 per week.
But the Gold Coast resident was rejected from the 150 applications she sent out between March and December last year.
“Initially, I was sad every time I got knocked back,” Zoe told Yahoo Finance. “I cried a lot in the beginning. Then, in the end, I was more defeated.
“I almost felt like, ‘What is the point?’. But I knew I had to do it because, if I didn’t, I faced homelessness with my kids. I didn’t want them to live in a car or a tent.
“I have an excellent rental history. I’ve been renting my whole life and started renting when I was 16. I have never lost any bond, I’ve never missed a rental payment in my life, [but] it just doesn’t matter.”
After struggling to secure a rental for her family for eight months, Zoe made the difficult decision to move back to Tasmania earlier this year.
Single mums forced to get the place that 'nobody wants'
Jenny Davidson, CEO of the Council of Single Mothers and Their Children, said it's hard to find someone untouched by the tight rental market across Australia.
But she added that single mums are being pushed down the pecking order for rental properties just because they don't have a dual income. Those on social security payments like Centrelink were even worse off.
“Essentially, the only way you can get a house in those circumstances is to find something that nobody else wants,” she told Yahoo Finance.
“They are substandard rentals and they often end up not being long-term tenancies. The quality of the house can be so bad [families] aren’t able to remain in it for very long and it can also have impacts on their health. There’s a lot of ramifications.”
What can you do if you're struggling to find somewhere to live?
Farouque said sadly there aren't many options available for people who can't secure a rental property.
She said you can lodge a complaint if you feel you have been actively discriminated against, but admitted that can be an arduous process.
"In a tight rental market, people don't even have the social capital, the headspace, or the bandwidth to make a complaint," she said.
"They're just looking for their next property. It's a major issue and it all comes back to this issue that we have a limited pool of available and affordable homes."
But she urged people applying for rental properties to make sure:
You have all your paperwork and references ready so that your application arrives as early as possible
Don't wait to send in your application if you see a property you like
Befriend real estate agents in their area so they know who you are
Attend the first inspection if possible
* name was changed to protect her identity.
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