Real estate company's shocking $225 brag in email to tenant

Ash Cant
Updated ·3-min read

An Australian renter received a strange email from a real estate management firm "bragging", after their rent was increased.

The email in question appears to be from Ironfish, a property investment company with offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and China.

The email was regarding the company's "achievement" for June.

"Biggest rent increase — $225 per week," the email says.

The email also states the average rent increase for the month of June was $98.

"My rent just went up $400 a month and the agency sent me an email bragging about it..." the tenant who received the email said on Reddit.

A screenshot of the email was shared to Melbourne's sub-reddit and was subsequently shared on other pages on Reddit.

There were a few people in the comments that claimed they had also received the same email.

Pictured is the email from the real estate investment company which states rent was increased on average $98 per week and the biggest increase was over $200.
The email was sent to a tenant who had their rent increased by the real estate investment company. Source: Reddit

Email 'sickens' people online

Given that many people are stressed about their finances right now, the email was probably not one a tenant wanted to receive.

The person who originally shared it said they didn't know what to do and said they were feeling "pretty overwhelmed" given their rent had increased, their doctor had stopped bulk billing and they were dealing with their mental health.

One person in the comments even suggested the email was likely for homeowners, not renters, but was sent to the latter, by mistake.

Many people were not impressed by the email.

"As someone who rents out a property, that email sickens me," oner person said.

People were outraged by the email and said they were
People were outraged by the email and said they were "sickened" by it. Source: AAP Image, file

Someone else said they were a homeowner, but not with Ironfish, and they also received the same email and had "the same disgusted feeling".

One person chimed in and said they were a landlord and this is "not justified".

"It shouldn’t even be legal to increase the rent that much for the same tenant. Different if new tenants come in but that’s an outrageous amount," they said.

One person even worked out if the rent was raised by $225 per week, it would be an extra $900 per month.

"Probably % is relevant. If the rent was previously $5000 a week and it goes up by $225, less of a deal than if it was $250 a week and went up by $225," one person noted.

Yahoo News Australia has contacted Ironfish for comment regarding the email.

Houses in Ascot Vale are seen on August 26, 2020 in Melbourne, Australia.
One person said they were a landlord and that the situation was "not justified". Source: Getty Images

Can rent be increased?

There are rules as to when rent can be increased, however, there are no laws in Victoria that say how much rent can be increased.

"The rental provider is not allowed to increase the rent during a fixed term agreement unless the rental agreement (lease) says this is okay," Consumer Affairs Victoria says.

"If this is the case, the agreement must also state how the increase will be calculated."

A landlord must give the tenant at least 60 days notice of the rent increase in writing and tenants can challenge a rent increase if they believe the amount is too high.

Rent can only be increased once every 12 months in most cases.

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