MARCH 9, 2017 Melbourne is in the midst of a rental crisis (I know, I'm looking for a place) I have lived in Melbourne since the end of 2009. For the first six years of my time here I was a uni student. I have lived in five different rentals, and although at times it was difficult to find somewhere to live, it has always been doable. How the times have changed. I am now 27 years old, with nine years of rental history, seven of those years in Melbourne. I am a lawyer making a solid income at my graduate job. My fellow applicants are young professionals who work full time and have flawless rental history. Renting solo, in the mid 2010s, is a luxury few can afford. Photo: Stocksy
This year I took my ex-landlord to VCAT (and won) because he failed to fix a leak above my bed so I was homeless for three months, and I wanted compensation. The latter point is the only thing that I can see might be contentious about me as a rental applicant. We have been looking for a house for two months. So, why can't we get one? 1. Not many places are within our budget ($660 per week). Anybody who is on a median salary can tell you that inner-city Melbourne rental prices are generally unaffordable. I am on a graduate salary, which although stable is certainly not excessive. My fellow applicants, one of whom works at a not for profit, don't have money to burn when it comes to rent. Anybody who is on a median salary can tell you that inner-city Melbourne rental prices are generally unaffordable. Photo: Jim Rice In Australia, Melbourne has seen the largest decrease in affordability in rental properties since 2013. I have noticed this decrease. When I first moved to Melbourne, the common rent per week that my friends and I were paying in central Melbourne was $180-$200. It is now $230-plus.
2. There is a rental property shortage in inner-city Melbourne. My most recent online search (three bedrooms, 10 inner-city suburbs, under $700) yielded four results. This is a pretty depressing result. According to Domain, this can be explained by the fact that in the middle of 2016, only 1.6 per cent of houses were vacant in inner-city Melbourne. Most advertised properties are outside of the inner suburbs. This makes it difficult for someone who doesn't have a car and relies on public transport/bike to get to work in the city. At property inspections, it is the norm for there to be 50-plus people inspecting. I have spent hours over the past few weeks standing awkwardly in the lounge room of prospective houses waiting to talk to the agent. Unfortunately, by the time the 15-minute inspection is over the agent is sick of everyone trying to schmooze him or her and just wants to get back to the office. 3. Landlords and agents discriminate against young professionals. Any rental applicant who isn't in a nuclear family, a couple or who isn't super rich knows that the Melbourne rental market discriminates. Landlords want families and couples. Tenants Union Victoria has stated this discrimination is difficult to prove, but that young people and single parents are considered the least desirable tenants. I even had to convince a family member recently that renting their house to three young professionals (two doctors and an engineer) wasn't a risky move. Why have the Baby Boomer landlords been brainwashed against the younger generations in this way?
Melburnians feeling the pinch of rising house and rental prices are taking the drastic action of living in portable storage boxes. What can we do? We offer more rent. We have our applications and documents printed and hand them in at the inspections. We make friendly follow up calls with the real estate agent. We make sure our references will be available. Real estate agents, landlords, is there anything else we can do? An appeal to landlords and agents in Melbourne. As young professionals in your rental property, we are not going to trash your house. We are not going to leave after a couple of months. We are not going to pay rent late. We are trying to live our lives in a respectful and peaceful manner, much in the same way you like to live your lives. We don't want to have parties that go all night. Just have a look at any share house ad and 90 per cent of the time it will specify that it is not a party house and does not want to be.
I just got another rejection for a house application we made last week, in which we offered $40 more per week than the amount advertised. Wish us luck.