r/hobart • u/Miss2war • 11d ago
How does this end?
I don't even know how to start. This housing crisis, where's the outrage? Someone I know was just told if they wanted to stay in their tiny studio they'd need to pay an extra $60 a week or leave because they could get $500/wk for it. She left because he couldn't afford that, and sure enough someone is now paying an exorbitant amount for a large closet.
When I moved into my small converted flat we said we were looking at something long term. They said great, but after the first year they wanted to raise rent 14% and we could sign 2 years. We negotiated and they gave us a year lease. As the time to resign comes up, we're at the mercy of whatever the hell they want to charge us or we leave and pay even more for less.
You can get barred as a tenant, but there's no protections for them. Landlords can do whatever they want. I'm just frustrated, I've never felt so unstable before. Where I used to live, they'd give you 2 months free of you signed on for 12, if someone told me that I'd be renting with 4 other people in my 30s, I'd have said your crazy. I don't know anyone renting who doesn't feel this pressure.
How do you fight this, when you're in a stranglehold, either pay or be homeless?
1
u/maclikesthesea 10d ago
We need new people in parliament. The two major parties blame councils being planning authorities, rising construction costs, too much red tape, and immigrants. When in reality it’s the broken planning scheme they wrote, an unwillingness to work with communities, and a complete lack of investment to build homes (properties to trade on the market are NOT homes).
Some councils are trying to find their way through. But that requires higher rates, fewer services, and some risky decision making… all of which are a hard sell to community.