September 9th 2024.
Annie, a single mother of four from Melbourne, has been searching for a new rental property for the past six weeks. Despite submitting over 40 applications, she has not received a single response. This has left her feeling frustrated and discouraged. Annie, who prefers to keep her identity private, suspects that her personal circumstances may be the reason for her rejections.
In an interview with 9news.com.au, Annie shared that she has a great rental history, but believes that she is being discriminated against due to being a single mother with four children, one of whom has a severe disability. She relies on a carers payment to support her family. Despite her concerns, Annie had hoped that her previous rental history and good references would speak for themselves and show that she is a responsible and reliable tenant.
However, as her applications continued to be ignored, Annie never imagined that she would eventually find out the reason for her rejections. That is until she received a call from a real estate agent last week. The agent informed her that the reason her applications were not being considered was because she had ticked 'yes' to a question about using a government RentAssist loan to cover her bond.
Annie explained that she had answered 'yes' as a precaution, even though she is able to afford the bond without assistance. She wanted to have some savings in case of any unexpected life events. The real estate agent then disclosed that they prioritize applicants who can pay the full amount upfront over those who may need government assistance. Annie was shocked and frustrated by this revelation.
The agent suggested that if Annie could provide proof that she could pay the full bond amount, they would submit her application to the landlord. Desperate to secure a new home for her family, Annie agreed to pay the bond upfront. However, she couldn't help but feel outraged by the unfairness of the situation. She believes that real estate agents and RentTech platforms should not be allowed to ask about government assistance on rental application forms.
Annie believes that this is a form of discrimination and that agents are finding ways to use government assistance against applicants. She fears that if this continues, many people in need of assistance will be left homeless. Ben Cording, a lawyer from Tenants Victoria, explains that under the state's rental laws, real estate agents are legally allowed to ask potential tenants about their plans to use government assistance for their bond.
Cording also highlights that there are only four things that rental providers or agents cannot ask about, including an applicant's rental bond history and personal attributes protected by anti-discrimination laws. However, he acknowledges that there are still some loopholes that need to be addressed, such as the questions asked on rental application forms.
He believes that applicants should only be asked to demonstrate their ability to pay rent and take care of the property. Cording also points out that renters are often forced to answer these questions when filling out online application forms, which can be frustrating and unfair. He hopes for a system where everyone has equal access to housing, regardless of where they get their bond from.
Overall, Annie's experience highlights the need for tighter regulations to prevent discrimination against vulnerable renters. She hopes that by sharing her story, she can bring attention to this issue and advocate for fair treatment of all rental applicants.
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