In a move that has sparked outrage and heated debate across social media, an Australian landlord has been accused of being a 'criminal' after an email surfaced showing an astronomical rental increase of over 60 per cent.

This staggering hike has left tenants and advocates alike questioning the legality and morality of such a decision, igniting a conversation about the state of Australia's rental market and the rights of those who call it home.


The contentious email, shared by renters' rights advocate Jordan van den Berg, known online as Purplepingers, detailed the landlord's decision to raise the fortnightly rent from $1,200 to an eye-watering $1,940.

‘The landlord understands that increasing rent can be difficult and has carefully considered the need for this increase, which is why they’re increasing the rent by 62 per cent,’ the email said.


The landlord's message attempted to soften the blow by claiming to understand the difficulty of rent increases and asserting that the new price was carefully considered and aligned with similar properties in the area.

However, the justification did little to quell the tenant's and the public's shock and frustration.

‘Abolish landlords. This shouldn’t be legal.’ Mr van den Berg exclaimed.


The social media post quickly gained momentum, with users labelling the landlord's behaviour as 'extortion' and 'greedy' and some even calling for reevaluating the landlord-tenant dynamic in Australia.

‘Who can produce $360 per week out of thin air!’ one said.

‘They are greedy bottom feeders who simply leech off hard-working people who, unlike them, actually contribute to the economy,’ another added.

'Between greedy landlords and rorting real estate agents, people don't have a f****** chance of retaining affordable housing,’ a third complained.

However, the landlord didn't bear all the blame.‘The property managers are equally to blame,' one emphasised.

‘Given they take a percentage in management fees, there's no incentive to be ethical.’


The property's location in Australia remained unspecified, but a $600-a-week rental could be for a small apartment in any major city.

Additionally, this situation underscored the generational divide between affluent Baby Boomers and the broader population.

'I do think one of the fault lines between Millenials/Gen Z and older generations is a clear understanding, if not personal experience, of the sheer greed and uselessness of landlords,' they said.

Some defend the landlord's right to adjust rent in line with market conditions and rising costs such as rates, insurance, and maintenance.


‘Do you have a house that people rent? Or do you still live at mum's house?’ one said.

‘You ever heard of rates? House insurance? Maintenance? If you can't afford it, don't live there. And if there are no houses, talk to Albanese.’ another echoed.

‘Who buys houses then? Who pays for increases in mortgage rates, council rates, insurance, etc,’ a third added.

‘Grow up - if you want to live in a communist society, try Russia, but don’t bleat and whine when you find it’s just the same.’

You can read the email here:

In related news, a tenant in South Australia won a tribunal case against their landlord, who then sent a retaliatory email.

The tenant advocate shared the email on social media, leading to widespread criticism of the landlord's unprofessional conduct. Read more about this story here.
Have you experienced significant rent increases, or do you have thoughts on the balance between landlords' rights and tenants' security? We invite you to share your experiences and perspectives in the comments below.