Grim problem plaguing Aussie homes as 'poor living conditions' worsen
Tenants are being forced to living in sub-par properties that are riddled with black mould which can have serious consequences.
Not only are Aussie renters having to contend with a housing shortage in a competitive rental market, but a grim problem is rearing its ugly, and dangerous head in more and more properties across the country.
Black mould has, alarmingly, become a common fixture in many properties available for rent within Australia, with Sydney and Melbourne leading the way. Sub-standard homes are being offered at above-average, and arguably extortionate, prices with very little choice often given to tenants.
Dr Nicola Willand, from the School of Property, Construction and Project Management at RMIT, said it's "difficult to say" how prevalent the issue of mould has become as there are no statistics. But a study from a few years ago suggested over 20 per cent of homes, selected at random across Victoria, were found to have been contaminated, she told Yahoo News Australia.
"I think it's really, really sad that we are at this point because it also means that there is non-compliance when it comes to renting our homes," she said. "In a housing crisis, a rental crisis, that we've got at the moment, renters are not able to choose a home that is mould-free. Because if you look into rental rights, the home should be mould-free."
Sydney couple forced to move as mould got 'progressively worse'
One Sydney couple recently shared their experience living with mould. For 18 months, Katie Williams, an ex-beach sprinter, and contestant on Big Brother Australia, suffered from physical symptoms which had a dire impact on her health.
"I was getting rashes on my eyelids, I had really bad asthma, I had a tight chest, inflamed sore chest and got sick all the time," Williams told Confidential, the Daily Telegraph reported on Wednesday. "I'd wake up with headaches feeling really hungover and groggy, not feeling well and that was early on."
It got "progressively worse" with mould beginning to grow on her clothes and furniture inside the Rose Bay apartment she shared with her partner Georgia Hull. The health implications of mould ultimately cost her thousands, she claimed.
Alarmingly, they were paying $975 a week combined in rent for the poorly maintained two-bedroom apartment before eventually being forced to move out. And she's not the only one.
Many Australians forced to endure 'poor living conditions'
Previously, another Sydney tenant documented the "poor living conditions" she was made to endure as mould quickly began taking over the home just two months after moving in.
The issue of mould is a common dispute between renters and landlords, according to Leo Patterson Ross, the CEO of the Tenants’ Union of NSW.
"We often see these kinds of disputes coming out of basically a dispute about whether tenants are treating their property well, and unfortunately it seems that lots of people are told that it must be them and their behaviour, even when it’s pretty clear that there’s a problem with the building," he told Yahoo News Australia.
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What are the regulations around living with mould
Earlier this year, Tenants Victoria, along with The Consumer Policy Research Centre (CPRC), conducted a "mystery shop" of 100 rental properties across parts of Victoria. Undercover renters who inspected the homes found that nine had visible mould while 15 failed to meet the standards for heating.
According to Tenants Victoria, properties for rent need to be free from mould and damp and meet minimum standards for ventilation. The rental provider, or the landlord, must inform interested tenants if a property you want to rent has a history of mould and damp.
"‘There’s a risk that in a tight rental market some people may feel they have no choice but to accept unsafe or unsuitable properties," Erin Turner, CEO of the CPRC, warned.
In NSW, the regulations are similar. According to the Tenants Union NSW, a landlord must "provide the premises reasonably clean and comply with minimum standards to be 'fit for habitation'." This includes having adequate ventilation, plumbing and drainage.
Adequate ventilation is one of the seven minimum standards that properties must meet to be fit to live in," the NSW government states.
Improper heating and ventilation to blame for mould in Aussie homes
The issue, mostly, comes down to improper heating and ventilation, Dr Willand explained. Which is, almost always, a landlord's issue, not the renters.
"Australian homes tend to be uninsulated, draughty and fitted with inefficient heaters. This means that warmth dissipates quickly once heating is switched off, air movement between heated areas and the colder walls and windows make people feel uncomfortable, and it makes heating very ineffective and expensive," she said.
Dr Willand agreed "many people are unaware of the health risks associated with cold homes," including mould exposure.
"Sydney has got a little bit more moisture outside. It's a little bit warmer than Melbourne, but I think the conditions that produce mould would be very similar in various cities," she said.
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