Nurse Reveals That She And Her Son Are Now Homeless After Their Landlord Unexpectedly Doubled Their Rent
She was threatened with legal action if she did not move out quickly.
Nina Buday / MAXSHOT.PL / Shutterstock A woman broke down in tears after revealing that her rent would be suddenly doubled, giving her little time to find a new and affordable living space for her and her son.
Instead of working with her to find her a new home, her real estate agent provided little help and warned her that if she could not afford the new rent, her landlord would bring her to court.
The woman was left scrambling as she and her son were on the brink of homelessness.
The woman’s rent was doubled unexpectedly by her landlord, leaving her with no choice but to find a new home.
Jakki Brooking, a registered nurse living in Perth, Australia was left blindsided after her rental home, which she had been living in for six years with her son, was bought by new owners who doubled her original weekly rent. “They increased my rent from $300, which is what I’m paying now, to $630 a week,” Brooking said.
Before the new owners took over, the home was a part of the National Rental Affordability Scheme (NRAS), which aims to reduce rent costs for low-income earners (at least 20% below the market rate).
Since Brooking is a single parent working as a registered nurse, she cannot afford such a spike in her rent. Brooking contacted her real estate agent for help with finding a new place to live since she unfortunately sent in multiple home applications which were all rejected.
There was also the challenge of limited availability of NRAS properties, and although Brooking meets the criteria of an “existing tenant,” she does not meet the “new tenant” requirements.
When Brooking expressed her concerns about facing homelessness, she was met with an abrasive response from her landlord. “Her response was that if I don’t vacate the premises by the first of January, then the owners can take me to court,” Brooking said as tears rolled down her cheeks.
Despite having a steady income from her job, the single mom was at a loss for what to do.
In addition to finding a place to stay for her and her son, Brooking was also tasked with finding new homes for her cat and dog.
Although some of her friends offered rooms in their homes as a temporary space for them to stay, she said that it “doesn’t help the feeling of insecurity.”
Photo: matrixnis / Canva Pro
She asked other viewers for any helpful advice they may have.
Most of them were heartbroken by her situation, noting that the cost of living had become impossible even for those who worked hard. “The fact that you are facing the risk of homelessness in that context is wild. We need to wake up as a society,” one TikTok user commented.
“Housing should not ever be an investment opportunity. EVER. Housing is a basic right,” another user wrote. “That’s so cruel of them! They could have at least given you a courtesy lease with a slight increase so you can find somewhere,” another noted of Brooking’s new landlords and real estate agent.
However, some people believed that Brooking’s tears were the result of having to pay rent to live in a home.
She clarified her emotions in a follow-up video and explained the true reason why she was distraught.
“I was just crying because I was stressed out and I don’t have anywhere to live,” Brooking says.
According to a Pexa report, rental prices in Australia have consistently increased over the past three decades. Vacancy rates have also plummeted to record lows in some cities, with rental competition and affordability being nearly impossible. Long-term leases in Australia are also rare, and renters are constantly living under the pressure of not knowing where they could be living in a year.
Thankfully, among all of her hardships, Brooking was eventually approved for a rental home and she and her son were able to move in on January 2.
The financial crisis has impacted the cost of living on a global scale.
Although this story has a happy ending, that is not the case for all people living in Australia. The housing crisis and soaring rental prices have pushed over 1,600 Australians into homelessness each month.
But this isn't just an Australia problem — this is a global problem. Most people can't afford to buy a home and in turn, rent skyrockets, leaving many people in the same boat as Brooking.
It is important to spread awareness about the cost of living and how it has left many people scrambling for affordable housing to come to a solution as a society.
Single parents working full-time like Brooking should not have to constantly worry about having a roof over their heads.
Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news, self, love, and relationships.