Shocking increases in rental costs are forcing older women into this unexpected living situation
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With rental costs skyrocketing, it’s no wonder so many are feeling the heat when finding a comfortable living space. Unless you own your own property or have a sizable family to support you, affording rent is a struggle.
And for women over 55, it seems the problem is even bigger. While it may already be physically exhausting, socially alienating, and emotionally devastating—some women are also forced to move in with strangers just to keep a roof over their heads.
This was the case for Yasha Watkins (aged 71) and Faye Paliadelis (aged 66), two pensioners joined by circumstance to become housemates in their Golden Coast home.
'We're women that have worked here all our lives, paid our taxes, raised our children, our children are paying taxes,' Faye said.
'Yet here we are in a position where we have to depend on each other to keep a roof over our heads,’ she added.
Unfortunately for these women, the prospect of shared housing isn't just a preferred option; it's their only one.
Moving in with other people might be something that goes against the grain for those who have lived alone for decades.
Therese Hall, a researcher from the Institute for Culture and Society at Western Sydney University, said: ‘Sharing is not something older women would want to do. They'd rather have their own space, especially women who have lived on their own for many years.’
‘These women have given up a lot before they've got to this stage. They've given up an expectation of a home of their own in which to age in place, and many of them have given up housefuls of furniture and a lot of their personal items accrued over their lifetime,’ she explained.
This statement is supported by Yasha, who mentioned how she has had to go through the emotional burden of downscaling and giving up previous collections of furniture and belongings.
'It's traumatic to lose a lot of things,' Yasha said.
'I quite often find myself saying, “Oh, I used to have one of those”, but it's the only thing that makes moving house so much easier,' she explained.
It's not just the process of moving in and adapting to strangers that makes it difficult—it's the struggle of finding a suitable flatmate.
Some of the older women are turning to social media groups made especially for finding a housemate that they can trust to move in with.
Ms Hall pointed out: ‘Women in these groups have things in common—they've got their gender, they've got their age, and they've got their circumstances—but they're still essentially strangers to each other.’
Yasha, a cancer survivor, admitted having difficulty searching for the right flatmate. Previously, she lived with different people and moved six times in three years.
‘I looked at ads, went and met the people, moved in, six weeks later I've got to move out because of fears of somebody has a crossbow, machetes, was mentally unstable, people leering at me across the room,’ she shared.
Yasha was introduced to Faye by a mutual friend earlier this year. Though it's an imperfect solution to a problem, house sharing is working out many months in for both of them.
‘We grabbed this because there was nothing else, there was just nothing else,’ Faye, who was on a disability pension, stated.
‘It would be nothing for us to become homeless. You know, if they put this rent up, we would probably end up couch surfing—and that's not a nice option to have,’ she continued.
And even though their rent takes up about 60 per cent of Yasha's weekly pension, they get by.
Yasha mentioned, 'I've lost six kilos so far—I really have to count my pennies.'
The former Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia, Philip Lowe, acknowledged that rent inflation has increased at record levels across Australia.
‘As rents go up, people decide not to move out of home or don't have that home office; they might get a flatmate,’ Mr Lowe told Senate in May.
Helene Newson, a businesswoman who helped start a Gold Coast house-sharing network, mentioned that the rent prices in Gold Coast are exponential.
‘The rents down here on the Gold Coast are absolutely ridiculous—they're charging $500 to 600 [a week] for a granny flat,’ she exclaimed.
The federal government recently stated that it would build 30,000 new affordable social homes across the nation over the next five years.
But Ms Newson believed that government officials should also look at changing social security laws to encourage those age pensioners with secure housing to officially rent out spare rooms.
‘The people who have rooms to offer don't want to declare it if they're on a pension, don't want to declare their income, so they're asking people not to go on a lease,’ she says.
Shared housing is also happening for seniors in Queensland. You can learn more about that story here.
Though house sharing may not be the best or most lasting solution to this ongoing affordable housing crisis for seniors, it's currently helping Yasha and Faye keep a roof over their heads.
Yasha said, 'I always try and think of the positive side of things. There's always got to be a silver lining.'
You can watch the ABC News In-depth video about this issue here:
Members, when it comes to rental costs, it’s important to know your rights and the resources available to you. There are federal, state, and local measures available, such as rent assistance, concessions, income assistance and subsidies, rental mediation services, and tenancy laws, so be sure to do your research for your state and consult the relevant experts if you’re in such a situation.
What do you think of this story? Do you know someone who has faced or is facing a similar situation? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
And for women over 55, it seems the problem is even bigger. While it may already be physically exhausting, socially alienating, and emotionally devastating—some women are also forced to move in with strangers just to keep a roof over their heads.
This was the case for Yasha Watkins (aged 71) and Faye Paliadelis (aged 66), two pensioners joined by circumstance to become housemates in their Golden Coast home.
'We're women that have worked here all our lives, paid our taxes, raised our children, our children are paying taxes,' Faye said.
Older women are forced to share housing amid skyrocketing rent costs. Credit: Anna Shvets/Pexels
'Yet here we are in a position where we have to depend on each other to keep a roof over our heads,’ she added.
Unfortunately for these women, the prospect of shared housing isn't just a preferred option; it's their only one.
Moving in with other people might be something that goes against the grain for those who have lived alone for decades.
Therese Hall, a researcher from the Institute for Culture and Society at Western Sydney University, said: ‘Sharing is not something older women would want to do. They'd rather have their own space, especially women who have lived on their own for many years.’
‘These women have given up a lot before they've got to this stage. They've given up an expectation of a home of their own in which to age in place, and many of them have given up housefuls of furniture and a lot of their personal items accrued over their lifetime,’ she explained.
This statement is supported by Yasha, who mentioned how she has had to go through the emotional burden of downscaling and giving up previous collections of furniture and belongings.
'It's traumatic to lose a lot of things,' Yasha said.
'I quite often find myself saying, “Oh, I used to have one of those”, but it's the only thing that makes moving house so much easier,' she explained.
It's not just the process of moving in and adapting to strangers that makes it difficult—it's the struggle of finding a suitable flatmate.
Some of the older women are turning to social media groups made especially for finding a housemate that they can trust to move in with.
Ms Hall pointed out: ‘Women in these groups have things in common—they've got their gender, they've got their age, and they've got their circumstances—but they're still essentially strangers to each other.’
Yasha, a cancer survivor, admitted having difficulty searching for the right flatmate. Previously, she lived with different people and moved six times in three years.
‘I looked at ads, went and met the people, moved in, six weeks later I've got to move out because of fears of somebody has a crossbow, machetes, was mentally unstable, people leering at me across the room,’ she shared.
Yasha was introduced to Faye by a mutual friend earlier this year. Though it's an imperfect solution to a problem, house sharing is working out many months in for both of them.
‘We grabbed this because there was nothing else, there was just nothing else,’ Faye, who was on a disability pension, stated.
‘It would be nothing for us to become homeless. You know, if they put this rent up, we would probably end up couch surfing—and that's not a nice option to have,’ she continued.
And even though their rent takes up about 60 per cent of Yasha's weekly pension, they get by.
Yasha mentioned, 'I've lost six kilos so far—I really have to count my pennies.'
The rent takes up 60 per cent of Yasha’s pension. Credit: Josh Appel/Unsplash
The former Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia, Philip Lowe, acknowledged that rent inflation has increased at record levels across Australia.
‘As rents go up, people decide not to move out of home or don't have that home office; they might get a flatmate,’ Mr Lowe told Senate in May.
Helene Newson, a businesswoman who helped start a Gold Coast house-sharing network, mentioned that the rent prices in Gold Coast are exponential.
‘The rents down here on the Gold Coast are absolutely ridiculous—they're charging $500 to 600 [a week] for a granny flat,’ she exclaimed.
The federal government recently stated that it would build 30,000 new affordable social homes across the nation over the next five years.
But Ms Newson believed that government officials should also look at changing social security laws to encourage those age pensioners with secure housing to officially rent out spare rooms.
‘The people who have rooms to offer don't want to declare it if they're on a pension, don't want to declare their income, so they're asking people not to go on a lease,’ she says.
Shared housing is also happening for seniors in Queensland. You can learn more about that story here.
Though house sharing may not be the best or most lasting solution to this ongoing affordable housing crisis for seniors, it's currently helping Yasha and Faye keep a roof over their heads.
Yasha said, 'I always try and think of the positive side of things. There's always got to be a silver lining.'
You can watch the ABC News In-depth video about this issue here:
Members, when it comes to rental costs, it’s important to know your rights and the resources available to you. There are federal, state, and local measures available, such as rent assistance, concessions, income assistance and subsidies, rental mediation services, and tenancy laws, so be sure to do your research for your state and consult the relevant experts if you’re in such a situation.
What do you think of this story? Do you know someone who has faced or is facing a similar situation? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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bad enough when I was married.
