Latest news with #JordanvandenLamb
Daily Mail
04-08-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Can you spot what's wrong with this rental listing? Aussies poke fun at huge error
A real estate agency has sparked backlash for promoting a rental with sea views despite the property being located in the middle of suburbia. Main Street Residential listed the two-bedroom apartment on Norton Street in Leichhardt, in Sydney 's inner west, for $650 a week. The property came unfurnished and would be ready to move in from August 6. Rental activist Jordan van den Lamb shared on Friday one of the images included in the property listing. The photograph showed a spacious kitchen/living area, with what appeared to be stunning sea views. Mr Lamb, who is also known by his online alias Purple Pingers, shared a map showing the location of the apartment, pointing out a huge problem with the listing. Sydneysiders will know Leichhardt is an inland suburb, and the location of the apartment means it is impossible to have a view of the sea. 'The photoshopped waterfront views,' Mr Lamb wrote on X. Social media users were outraged by the listing, with many poking fun at it. 'Ah gorgeous Leichhardt beach!' one wrote. 'Saw the suburb and immediately laughed. LEICHHARDT??? BEACH?? God,' a second added. 'Why are they allowed to misrepresent properties?' another questioned. 'Slight tangent but if AI is going to take people's jobs, surely we start with property managers? 'Easily the most replaceable people in society. At least AI wouldn't Photoshop a beach inland.' Others pointed out the apartment appeared to be at sea-level. 'This is hilarious. If the sea ever looked like that from your window, you've only got seconds to live,' one commented. 'Buried half under a sand dune too,' another quipped. 'Great in a tsunami, despite its proximity to the ocean,' a third joked. The property listing has since been taken down. Although the listing is no longer available on the real estate agent's website, the Norton Street images are still accessible on including the kitchen's 'sea view'.
Sky News AU
23-07-2025
- Business
- Sky News AU
'Worst kitchen in Australia': Major Aussie real estate group under fire as horror detail in $550 per week Sydney home lays bare rental nightmare
A prominent Australian real estate group has come under fire for describing a Sydney home listed for rent as boasting a "good condition kitchen and bathroom" despite photos showing the complete opposite. Raine & Horne has now removed the positive phrase from the marketing for an apartment in Railway Parade, Burwood. "Spacious art deco 2-bedroom unit in the heart of vibrant Burwood. Only a short walk to station and shops," the description reads after the change. The real estate company continues to display only one exterior photo of the home on its site, showing it situated inside a well-kept brick building, leaving the condition of the interior to the imagination of potential renters. However, content creator Jordan van den Lamb shared shocking photos of the actual state of the home's kitchen on Instagram, ultimately prompting the company to delete the false portion of the description. In a video, Jordan showed the $550-per-week property as having a dilapidated and worn-looking bench and sink, describing it has the "worst kitchen in Australia". Old piping and what appeared to be dirty, mouldy boards and a cupboard door were also visible underneath the countertop. A large gap with a fallen panel inside was next to the misplaced door. "If by 'good' they (Raine & Horne) mean 'bad', then maybe," Jordan said of the home. "Some from the s*** rentals subreddit inspected this place, and I guess the only way you can describe it is f*****." In his video, Jordan went on to show a significant amount of peeling paint on the ceiling, which he said "reminds me of really bad psoriasis". "So anyway, thanks for wasting this person's time, and also f*** you, Raine & Horne," he said. "You know exactly what you're doing. That's just f*****. "Don't waste people's time." Shocked viewers flooded the comments, praising Jordan for doing a service to Sydney renters by exposing what they really face in the market. "You are a hero of the people," one person said, as another agreed, adding no photos of the interior were a red flag in the first place. "A service to the people! But yeah, no interior photos = don't bother," they said. Another person quipped: "A good kitchen for a crime scene", while another simply said: "Disgusting". "Woah! I was recently just looking at rentals in this area. That's actually out of my price range-wtf," a third person said. One more person questioned how it is legal for people to be made to pay to live in a place that is allegedly unsafe. "I don't get it - an estate agent's job should be to make sure landlords are made to comply with a standard of safety & health," they said. Another person claimed it would be "illegal" to rent the home as it falls "below the living standards." "These buildings are so beautiful on the outside, such a shame they are falling apart inside," one more person said. NSW government legislation mandates landlords and agents ensure rental properties meet seven minimum standards for tenants to live in. These standards include properties being structurally sound, with major structures being in a reasonable state of repair, not subject to significant dampness or water penetration, and not liable to collapse. Further requirements include adequate ventilation, plumbing, and drainage, as well as a water connection that can supply hot and cold water for drinking, washing, and cleaning. has contacted Burwood Council and Raine & Horne for further comment.
News.com.au
22-07-2025
- General
- News.com.au
The exposed horror reality for tenants in NSW
A Sydney rental is getting attention for all the wrong reasons, with one disturbing feature leaving potential tenants in shock. A video tour of a Sydney home recently listed for rent has exposed the living conditions some tenants have been expected to endure, with the home alleged to have a trashed kitchen and leaking ceiling. Posted to Instagram by online content creator Jordan van den Lamb, who has garnered a large following from exposing less-than-desirable listings, the video casts the spotlight on a $550 a week listing in the inner west suburb of Burwood. Images reveal a deteriorating kitchen missing cupboards and drawers below the sink. Some of the last remaining doors appear to be hanging barely from hinges. 'So (the agents) describe this place as having a good condition kitchen and bathroom,' Mr Van den Lamb stated in the video. 'But this is the kitchen – if by good they mean, bad, then maybe.' Mr Van den Lamb, who often posts content under the tag 'Sh*t Rentals', revealed in the video that the images were taken from someone from the group's subreddit, who inspected the residence. 'This is a photo of the bedroom ceiling, which just reminds me of really bad psoriasis,' he said. 'So anyways, thanks for wasting this person's time.' The Burwood listing comes off the back of revelations of another Sydney rental in squalid condition, shared via TikTok video. The former tenant alleged that the Petersham rental included a bug infestation throughout the house, a window that could be opened from the outside as well as a random shipping container in the backyard. The creator said she spent $240 a week on rent which was the least out of the sharehouse's nine tenants, with some people paying $350 a week. These rentals have been listed as a prominent tenants' rights group warned recent regulation changes have given NSW tenants a raw deal. The June changes have made it easier for landlords to evict tenants and undermine earlier reforms which sought to make it illegal for tenants to be evicted without reason, according to the Tenants Union of NSW. The Tenants Union pointed to previous requirements for landlords wanting to evict tenants for major repairs or renovations to give a written statement, tradie quotes for required works or proof of development approval. This measure was intended to ensure landlord claims of renovations were genuine and significant enough to warrant eviction and not simply a tactic to unfairly evict tenants, the union said. It claims a move by the NSW government in June to quietly remove this key safeguard, which means landlords do not have to provide the same level of renovations evidence as before, has opened the way for unjust 'renovictions'. The NSW Tenants' Union said the changes open the door to non-genuine 'renovictions'.
7NEWS
21-06-2025
- 7NEWS
Victorian influencer Jordan van den Lamb, known as ‘Purple Pingers' sparks Aussie housing war
When a Victorian woman returned to her investment property in Melbourne's outer suburbs, she didn't expect to find squatters inside — or to learn that her home's address had been shared online by a Federal Senate candidate. The woman, who had been managing her late father's estate, reportedly arrived to find the locks changed, security cameras installed, and new heating fitted to the exterior. Police were called to force entry, where she discovered most of her father's belongings were missing, including sentimental items like antique furniture and family heirlooms. The damage left her about $70,000 out of pocket after her insurance claim was denied. The property had been vacant and was publicly shared by Jordan van den Lamb, known online as 'Purple Pingers', as part of his campaign encouraging people to identify and use unused homes for shelter. Mr van den Lamb has become a lightning rod in the national housing debate. But as his TikTok-fuelled activism escalates, so too do the consequences for homeowners, real estate agents, and authorities caught in the fallout. While some of his followers see occupying vacant properties as a form of protest, the legal reality is more complicated. A squatter is someone who enters and uses an abandoned or unoccupied property, often through unlocked access. While entering through an open door is not technically illegal, remaining after being asked to leave by the rightful owner constitutes trespassing, which is a criminal offence in all Australian states. The influencer rose to prominence online through his viral TikTok account and website Sh.t Rentals, where he publicly exposed unoccupied, poor-quality or overpriced rental properties. But his campaign has since evolved into something more confrontational. Mr van den Lamb said he shared the address of the Victorian property online in a bid to raise awareness and attract more submissions of vacant homes. 'Yes, that was shared by me,' he said. 'That property had been empty, off the top of my head, for like 17 years. We don't know whether the squatters moved in before or after I posted the address.' He said the situation was brought to his attention by a news organisation and confirmed, 'I had no interaction with her (the homeowner).' When asked about the impact on the Victorian woman, Mr van den Lamb told The Nightly he felt 'bad' but claimed there were bigger issues at play. 'I feel bad that her belongings were taken, especially if they had sentimental value,' he said. 'But we hear from people like this every day. We never hear from someone sleeping rough — and frankly, their voices matter more, because they're the ones who are dying.' How it works Mr van den Lamb said he personally ran the operation using a Google Form to collect submissions of empty homes and verify them through online tools. 'I call for submissions... ask people to submit an empty property, the address, how long they think it's been vacant... then I check Google Maps, street view, last sold, last rented, planning applications.' He added: 'Once someone reaches out via email, I might ask if they're alone — I prefer not to send solo people just for safety. I go through the list, send through what I know, and tell them to verify it themselves.' 'I only post very few online — just to get more submissions,' he said. 'Most properties are shared privately via email with those in need.' In one of his TikTok videos, Mr van den Lamb instructs viewers on how to detect long-term vacancies by searching real estate websites and analysing listing duration. But one real estate agent says Mr van den Lamb's actions have changed how some sellers think about signage and advertising. Victorian real estate agent manager Mark Vorstenbosch from BigginScott said, 'There's this idea that putting up a 'for sale' board might alert people that a home is empty, but I think not putting one up puts you in more danger, because you don't know when someone might turn up.' Loading TikTok Post Kelly Ryan, former chief executive officer of the Real Estate Institute of Victoria (REIV), described Mr van den Lamb's tactics as concerning. 'Encouraging people to squat in properties that aren't theirs isn't good social behaviour — it's not a good service to anybody,' she told The Nightly. Ms Ryan warned that the broader risk is a chilling effect on landlords and property providers. 'This kind of behaviour is counterproductive to tackling the housing crisis,' she said. 'If you discourage private property owners from staying in the market, you risk starving supply not just now, but five years down the track.' Ms Ryan also addressed common misconceptions about who owned investment properties. 'There's this idea that all property owners are wealthy. But the second biggest group of landlords in Australia are school teachers, often owning just one investment property. These are the people being affected.' According to Homes Victoria's Rental Report for December 2024, the number of new rental lettings, which is a key indicator of housing availability, declined statewide by 1.8 per cent in the December quarter compared to the same period the year before. Metropolitan Melbourne saw a 1.3 per cent drop, while regional Victoria experienced a sharper 4.1 per cent fall. The total number of active rental bonds held by the Residential Tenancies Bond Authority also declined by 3.6 per cent, a significant shift, given that bond volumes had averaged 1.0 per cent annual growth over the past five years. 'These early indicators suggest a contraction in the overall rental stock,' REIV noted at the time, 'reflecting a waning of investor confidence in the market.' Victoria Police declined to comment on specific incidents related to Mr van den Lamb's activism but said homelessness was 'not an offence'. 'Should an offence be detected, police will deal with that as per normal practice,' the spokesperson said. 'The priority for Victoria Police is to link people who are homeless or sleeping rough to the services available to them.' Police advised concerned property owners to report issues to their local council and referred inquiries about broader trends to the Crime Statistics Agency. Mark Donchi, manager of a Victorian homelessness program for St Mary's House of Welcome, said he doesn't encourage squatting but understands why it happens. He said his service has noticed a clear demographic shift, 'We're now seeing more families and single women coming to seek our services. The volume has definitely increased over the last five years.' Mr Donchi said that the increase is largely driven by a massive shortfall in affordable housing. 'And the process of getting into public housing is becoming longer and more complicated,' he said. However, Ms Ryan said for those on the receiving end of such activism, the consequences were anything but theoretical. If a squatter refuses to leave after being asked, the property owner must typically seek a possession order through legal channels — a process that can be lengthy and complex. Real estate agents say the process of removing unauthorised occupants from a property is far from straightforward, especially if the owner lives interstate. Mr Vorstenbosch said one of the problems was the lack of recourse for property owners if something happened to their homes. 'If the property owner is interstate, you can't even go through VCAT (Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal) anymore, you're redirected to the Magistrates Court, which can take up to six months. And that court isn't specialised in tenancy law, so mistakes happen.' But Mr van den Lamb argues that the real problem isn't scarcity, but distribution. 'At the last census, there were 30,000 people experiencing homelessness in Victoria. In metropolitan Melbourne alone, there are 100,000 empty homes... This isn't a supply issue. It's a distribution problem.' He also pushed back on criticism that his campaign might discourage landlords from renting out homes. 'These homes aren't being rented out,' he said. 'So that criticism doesn't really apply.' 'And if landlords are afraid to rent out homes that people could die in — then maybe that's a good thing, especially if we're talking about the substandard properties shown on Shit Rentals.' When asked whether he worked with homelessness services, he said there was 'informal collaboration' at times, but services were stretched. 'I think that would be unfortunately damaging to their reputations,' he said of formal partnerships, 'but I've spoken with many workers who have support and sympathy... and who've said there's literally nothing more they can do through their work.' Ms Ryan said for those on the receiving end of such activism, the consequences were anything but theoretical. 'As a society, we rely heavily on the private rental market,' Ms Ryan said. 'If we continue to make landlords feel vulnerable or vilified, we're only accelerating the very housing crisis we're trying to solve.'
News.com.au
17-06-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
‘Affordable' Bondi Junction apartment listed for $1100 a week
An 'affordable' Sydney apartment that is part of a state government housing scheme has been listed to rent for $1100 a week. To be eligible to rent the two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment in Bondi Junction, a couple cannot be earning more than $121,000 combined. A couple earning the maximum allowed income would be paying 47 per cent of their salary on rent. The apartment is leased by HomeGround Real Estate Sydney as part of the NSW government's affordable housing scheme. Following a report in The Guardian on Tuesday, the listing price was reduced to $1040 a week and then $1000. A HomeGround spokeswoman said the price reduction was because of winter. 'Initially, we advertised the property with a market rent set at $1100 per week. However, as market conditions fluctuate weekly, especially in the Bondi area, we have adjusted the asking price to $1000 per week as we transition into the winter market.' Renters advocate Jordan van den Lamb said anyone who could pay $1000 a week rent – and still earn less than the income threshold – could not afford food, bills and medicine as well. 'It's nuts,' he told NewsWire. 'The guidelines make affordable housing by definition unaffordable … pretty Orwellian if you think about it.' 'The idea that we would spend billions of taxpayer money to subsidise private landlords to offer something that is tied to an already unaffordable market as the solution to a housing crisis, it's just not going to work and this is what all the experts have been saying.' Mr van den Lamb has risen to prominence online speaking about the state of housing in Australia and unsuccessfully contested a Senate seat for the Victorian Socialists at the federal election. He said the non-profit HomeGround agency had a relatively good reputation. 'These are the good ones … I've got nothing wrong with them,' he said of HomeGround. 'It's the private landlord that's being subsidised by the government and incentivised to do this. That is the problem.' In NSW, 'affordable' properties must be rented out at 20 per cent below the market rent, but the state government rules say 'flexibility in pricing may be applied to moderate income households'.
