'F***ing criminal': Melbourne tenant has rent increased by $106 a week

Ash Cant
Updated ·3-min read

No one wants their rent to go up, especially when it increases by more than $100 a week during arguably tough times.

One Melbourne tenant has shared part of an email with fellow Aussies on, in which it was explained their rent would go up a whopping $106 a week, or $425 per month.

According to the email, the tenant was paying $3,302 a month, which works out to be $825 per week. The rent increase means the tenant will be paying just over $930 a week.

"The Chaser joked about landlords raising rents 40 per cent to cover rate rises, mine just went up 13 per cent," they wrote on Reddit.

Someone's rent in Melbourne was increased by $425 per month. Source: Reddit
Someone's rent in Melbourne was increased by $425 per month. Source: Reddit

Landlord wills often increase rent on tenants on an annual basis, or when a lease has run its course. But with interest rates rapidly rising, many investor owners are looking to pass on the extra costs to renters.

However this particular tenant has vowed to fight back.

"Already know this is completely out of step for where I live, the condition of the property and comparable properties," they said.

"Have entered some dialogue with the agent and they are insisting it stands. With our options to either accept, move out (we had only just transitioned to a month-to-month and were about to renew) or head to VCAT (Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal)."

According to Consumer Affairs Victoria, a rental provider is not allowed to increase the rent during a fixed term agreement unless the lease says that is okay.

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

"In periodic agreements (month-to-month), the rent can increase once every 12 months at the most."

Houses in Ascot Vale are seen on August 26, 2020 in Melbourne, Australia.
The tenant, who apparently lives in Melbourne does not believe the rent increase is justified. Source: Getty Images

Others blast rent increase as 'stupid'

Online, many people were siding with the tenant with one person saying it was a "f**king joke".

"Rents just keep increasing when wages aren't?? These people think we are money trees or something?" another said.

One person branded the increase as "f**king criminal".

While rents dipped in many suburbs across Melbourne during the pandemic, they have since rebounded, according to data from property firm SQM Research.

The average weekly rent for units is $443 while the average weekly rent for houses in Melbourne is $568.

Melbourne rents have rebounded from a significant pandemic dip. Source: SQM Research
Melbourne rents have rebounded from a significant pandemic dip. Source: SQM Research

Property investors brag about rental increase

Earlier in August, a property investment company with offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and China was busted for "bragging" about the rent increases it had dumped on tenants.

One renter, who had their own rent go up by $400 a month, got an email that was clearly not intended for them.

The email claimed the biggest rent increase for the month was $225 per week.

IronFish has since apologised, saying the email was "insensitive" and acknowledged the "intense stress and financial hardship" many faced during the pandemic.

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