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.

Australian landlord criticised for 61.7 per cent rent hike Credit: @purplepingers / X

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:

Credit: @purplepingers / X​

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.

Key Takeaways

• An Australian landlord has been criticised for increasing their tenant’s rent by a staggering 61.7 per cent.
• Renters and advocates have expressed outrage on social media, with some calling for landlords to be abolished.
• The rent hike has highlighted the more profound issues within Australia’s housing crisis and the generational wealth divide.
• Opinions vary on the justification for rent increases, with some pointing to rising costs for landlords and others criticising the impact on tenant affordability.

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.

 

[Tervueren]

There should be a law against these types of huge increases. Totally unfair and very unreasonable.

 

[Rita]

We have an EXCELLENT Landlord. He didnt put the rent up this year because he can see we are looking after the place. Currently at $740 per fortnight.

 

[[email protected].]

why does everyone assume the landlord is some rich person who can afford to lose money if this happens to be in Victoria where the labor thieves are taxing them to the hilt

 

[Annna]

The 62% increase seems over the top.

That said, many people are very critical of landlords.

With the exception of Mr/Ms 62%, why so much criticism?

Do people think that:

1. all landlords were gifted their rental properties? Many worked, scrimped and saved to pay out their mortgages.

2. landlords don't pay mortgages, rates, body corp fees, insurance, maintenance costs in their rental properties? They do.

3. landlords don't need an income from their investments (the rental properties)? same as 2.

Landlords are in the business of making an income similar to local shop keepers.

Do people scream at their local shop keeper for pricing his/her merchandise higher than the big supermarkets?

 

[richmich.4422@gmail]

Hey there, "Anna", yr No.2 is way "WHACK-O THE DIDDLE-O". I didn't know that renters pay mortgages on someone elses property, nor the rates, nor the insurance on the property, nor the maintenance of the property. I can understand that they may pay an insurance on their own personal goods & shattles therein against fire, theft & the likes. Not wot U are referring too.

Yes, the costs you have mentioned, are borne in the rent paid by the occupants of the property.

 

[vjones7741]

I don’t know why everyone targets the Landlords. No one complains about any other costs that increase far more than rents. However, I notice that they can still afford to smoke, drink and go on holidays even though their prices have increased. Council rates, water rates and supermarkets increase their prices every year land tax are amongst the biggest criminals but no one complains about any of these increases but they expect the landlord to pay the increases and not put up the rent. Take covid for instance, only the landlord was targeted and very heavily too by the government but did the council/government reduce any of their charges, of course not. A lot of the landlords did not even get any of the repayments they should have got from tenants, and I can assure you, tenants were one of the biggest crooks during COVID.

I note that no one mentions the amount of landlords that have to face enormous and I do mean enormous costs when a tenant vacates their property. The state they leave the property is criminal. The landlord has very little rights, they have no protection at all, the tenant can wreck their property and walk away, which I might add is quite often the case.

Now all I am hearing is that there is a shortage of rental property. Why are you not surprised???

Who in their right mind would rent out their property when you cannot increase the rent to cover the increase in retail charges, government charges, council charges, interest rates etc etc etc and not forgetting the mess the tenants leaves the property.

Instead of targeting only the landlord try targeting the other facilities and retail stores around you. It’s about time they were brought in line and exposed for their big increases every year.

 

[Squizzy1]

R Baby Boomers the only Landlords in this Capitalist Society, that's the presumption according to this article? Strangely when the Govt. were looking at Negative Gearing, etc the Coalition only ever referred to Mum+Dad investors and the struggle to make ends meet. Now the Govt. is being blamed by many for doing little to ease the rorting.

 

[Littleboy8]

I don’t know why everyone targets the Landlords. No one complains about any other costs that increase far more than rents. However, I notice that they can still afford to smoke, drink and go on holidays even though their prices have increased. Council rates, water rates and supermarkets increase their prices every year land tax are amongst the biggest criminals but no one complains about any of these increases but they expect the landlord to pay the increases and not put up the rent. Take covid for instance, only the landlord was targeted and very heavily too by the government but did the council/government reduce any of their charges, of course not. A lot of the landlords did not even get any of the repayments they should have got from tenants, and I can assure you, tenants were one of the biggest crooks during COVID.

I note that no one mentions the amount of landlords that have to face enormous and I do mean enormous costs when a tenant vacates their property. The state they leave the property is criminal. The landlord has very little rights, they have no protection at all, the tenant can wreck their property and walk away, which I might add is quite often the case.

Now all I am hearing is that there is a shortage of rental property. Why are you not surprised???

Who in their right mind would rent out their property when you cannot increase the rent to cover the increase in retail charges, government charges, council charges, interest rates etc etc etc and not forgetting the mess the tenants leaves the property.

Instead of targeting only the landlord try targeting the other facilities and retail stores around you. It’s about time they were brought in line and exposed for their big increases every year.

No shortage of rental properties in frankston and surrounds I’m looking to downsize shortly and there’s hundreds of empty properties going begging.

 

[Mrtnst]

I have been a tenant for most of my life.

A 62% rise in the rent does seem excessive, unless the tenant has caused damage to the property which has contributed to a significant increase in costs for the landlord.

Unfortunately we have only one side of the story upon which to make a judgement.

In my personal experience, I have encountered several greedy landlords, agressive and unfair agents and other tenants with no respect for the properties they leased.

Neither side is wholly without blame for greed, abusive behaviour or refusal to abide by the lease.

But, if landlords were abolished, as suggested in the article, it would take around two thirds of rental properties out of the market.

Leading to massive increases in rents and a huge increase in homelessness among both young and older Australians.

 

[Annna]

Hey there, "Anna", yr No.2 is way "WHACK-O THE DIDDLE-O". I didn't know that renters pay mortgages on someone elses property, nor the rates, nor the insurance on the property, nor the maintenance of the property. I can understand that they may pay an insurance on their own personal goods & shattles therein against fire, theft & the likes. Not wot U are referring too.

Yes, the costs you have mentioned, are borne in the rent paid by the occupants of the property.

Yes and the landlord paid for the property.

Landlord's insurance (damage to the property).

 

[Annna]

I don’t know why everyone targets the Landlords. No one complains about any other costs that increase far more than rents. However, I notice that they can still afford to smoke, drink and go on holidays even though their prices have increased. Council rates, water rates and supermarkets increase their prices every year land tax are amongst the biggest criminals but no one complains about any of these increases but they expect the landlord to pay the increases and not put up the rent. Take covid for instance, only the landlord was targeted and very heavily too by the government but did the council/government reduce any of their charges, of course not. A lot of the landlords did not even get any of the repayments they should have got from tenants, and I can assure you, tenants were one of the biggest crooks during COVID.

I note that no one mentions the amount of landlords that have to face enormous and I do mean enormous costs when a tenant vacates their property. The state they leave the property is criminal. The landlord has very little rights, they have no protection at all, the tenant can wreck their property and walk away, which I might add is quite often the case.

Now all I am hearing is that there is a shortage of rental property. Why are you not surprised???

Who in their right mind would rent out their property when you cannot increase the rent to cover the increase in retail charges, government charges, council charges, interest rates etc etc etc and not forgetting the mess the tenants leaves the property.

Instead of targeting only the landlord try targeting the other facilities and retail stores around you. It’s about time they were brought in line and exposed for their big increases every year.

Well said.

 

[David567]

The landlord probably needs the money to pay for his new Mercedes Benz, but doesn't want to get a job to pay for it.

 

[Annna]

The landlord probably needs the money to pay for his new Mercedes Benz, but doesn't want to get a job to pay for it.

From a tenant's perspective.

 

[Littleboy8]

No shortage of rental properties in frankston and surrounds I’m looking to downsize shortly and there’s hundreds of empty properties going begging.

Actually that might change with the monopoly board game coming out and I betcha rents go up.

 

[Veggiepatch]

The landlord probably needs the money to pay for his new Mercedes Benz, but doesn't want to get a job to pay for it.

I was a landlord about nine years ago....

....driving around in a clapped out 1980 Honda Accord while working full time.

 

[Grahamclarke]

We have two rentals first increase in rent since 2021. Increase of $15 a week which I think is responsible

 

[Clancieblue]

I was a landlord about nine years ago....

....driving around in a clapped out 1980 Honda Accord while working full time.

As was I, 12 yrs ago. Never owned a Mercedes either. Worked hard to make up the difference between rent payments and the mortgage. Never ever put anyone's rent up 62%. I do think perhaps some sort of system could be in place to approve rent increases for both sides. Like showing why the rent needs to increase and by how much.

 

[Veggiepatch]

As was I, 12 yrs ago. Never owned a Mercedes either. Worked hard to make up the difference between rent payments and the mortgage. Never ever put anyone's rent up 62%. I do think perhaps some sort of system could be in place to approve rent increases for both sides. Like showing why the rent needs to increase and by how much.

The rent I charged, through a real estate agent, only increased from $190 to $210 per week in four years.

 

[Clancieblue]

The rent I charged, through a real estate agent, only increased from $190 to $210 per week in four years.

Yes, as it should be, a lot of greedy landlords out there.