27-03-2025
Tenant's alleged 'revenge' against landlord after rent increased to $550 a week
An Aussie landlord has been left with a huge mess and potentially hefty clean-up bill after his tenant allegedly unleashed a bizarre 'revenge' plan over a rent increase.
David Longford said it was initially smooth sailing when the pensioner moved into the Warilla property, south of Wollongong, in 2012. Sealed with a handshake, the friend reportedly agreed to pay $350 a week for rent and dodged a bond payment, the homeowner told A Current Affair.
The rent increased to $400 in 2017, but after Longford hired a real estate agent to help him out, it jumped to $550 a week.
'He calls me up and says, 'we need to go back to how we were with me paying you cash'. And I said, 'no, I want to keep it through the real estate and he says, 'well, in that case, we've got a problem, and it's your problem, not mine',' the landlord claimed.
After the renter moved out, Longford told the publication he was prepared for some sort of 'revenge', but did not predict the trail of destruction he later discovered. The pensioner had allegedly used industrial-strength glue to seal the entire house, including seven outside shutters, all doors and windows, cupboards and drawers.
Not even the lawnmower's fuel cap or the plastic outdoor furniture was left untouched, he claimed.
'I didn't think it would be this bad,' Longford said, alleging he also found bags of rotting prawns tucked away and paint splashed across the bed and other furniture.
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It's no secret that Aussie renters are beyond frustrated with the country's crippling rental crisis. NSW residents are battling the state's worst rental affordability crisis on record, which was incredibly apparent earlier this month when a Sydney landlord's generous offer attracted enormous queues.
While similar one bedroom apartments in Leichhardt, in the city's inner west, typically average between $580 and $610 a week, the 'real nice bloke' chose to list it for just $500.
According to the latest REA Group report, median rents in Sydney have hit $780 for houses and $700 for units, making NSW the least affordable state for renters. Even households earning $116,000 can only afford 36 per cent of available rentals.
Homelessness NSW warns the system is failing, with housing crises, financial struggles, and family violence driving an increase in rough sleepers. Alarmingly, 76 per cent of those seeking long-term housing and 49 per cent needing emergency accommodation are unable to secure it.
"The REA Group report shows that even high-income earners are struggling in this market. For vulnerable populations, particularly our Aboriginal communities who make up 33 per cent of homelessness service clients, the situation is dire,' said Homelessness NSW CEO Dominique Rowe.
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