A devastated young Aussie has revealed she had to move back in with her parents after herlandlord hiked up the rent on her one-bedroom Melbourneapartment.
Gemma Upson-McPike, 27, said the owner's decision was almost certainly down to greed and not rising interest rates - because she is '99 per cent sure' they don't have amortgage on the unit.
Ms Upson-McPike shared her plight in aTikTokvideo with the caption: 'Rental Crisis Rant'.
She explained her landlord had raised the rent to $450 a week - up from $280 when she moved inthree years ago.
MsUpson-McPike said what 'really grinds her gears' is she is almost certain the landlord does not have a mortgage 'so that can't even be an excuse'.
'I know for a fact she has two investment properties,' Ms Upson-McPike said, adding the landlord had owned her rental since the 1980s.
@gemupsonmcpike Feeling for anyone else in the same situation 🥲 #fyp #rentalcrisis #melbourne #costoflivingcrisis #australia
♬ original sound - Gemma 💪🏼🏃🏽♀️
In a viral video, Melbourne fitness trainer Gemma Upson-McPike complained about having to move back in with her parents following steep rent increases
She described the apartment as 'small' and 'nothing flash' and said it was located in an 'old building'.
'Sure, I live in a good suburb, I am probably just paying for location,' Ms Upson-McPike said.
'I have to pay to do my laundry, there's cracks in the walls. It's not worth $450 a week; that's like two grand a month.'
Ms Upson-McPike, who lists her occupation as a fitness trainer, said her wage was not 'outstanding'.
'Rent's never been late, my inspections have always been absolutely spotless,' she said.
Ms Upson-McPike said moving back in with her parents was not the 'plan Ihad for 27-year-old me, but that is just how bad the rental crisis is at the moment'.
'I am so lucky and so grateful that I can move back in with my parents, but not everyone can do that, so what's your alternative?' she asked.
'You are homeless.'
She said home ownership was a vanishing dream for people her age.
'This is why my generation can't get ahead, why we can't buy houses,' she said.
'I have been paying 20 grand a year in rent, but if I went to get a house loan they wouldn't see that as she can pay 20 grand a year.
'I have no savings because of what I have been paying in rent and bills.
Ms Upson-McPike said she would try to save money now she was moving back home, although would have to pay for a much longer commute into Melbourne as her parents live on 'the other side of Geelong'.
'The government needs to get on top of this because the state of the rental market at the moment is absolutely f**ked,' she said.
Many social media users agreed with her sentiment, with some admitting they were in a similar situation.
A number of those commenting onMs Upson-McPike shared their stories of rental frustration
READ MORE:Ridiculous room exposes Australia's rental crisis - and you won't believe how much the landlord wanted
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'I'm 31 I moved back home cause I can't afford my mortgage anymore,' one person said.
'I'm renting it out now. This is the new norm.'
'DW girl, I'm 29 (30 in five months) and I'm living with my mum,' another replied.
'It’s awful,' wrote another TikTok user.
'I'm sorry that you're going through this. My 14 year-old son is already worrying about the kind of job he needs to afford the cost of living and that he'll never get to move out. It's sad,' another said.
'I'm 54, renting and still trying to save for a deposit on a house,' another said, proving the issue isn't just one affecting millennials and Gen-Z.
'I've just started working and pay $500 a week for my rental in a rural Queensland town with a drug house around the corner,' another comment read.
However, not everyone was so sympathetic.
'Looks like a pretty new car and coffee in hand,' one person noted.
'Like everything they want it all now and complain. P.S. I'm only 37.'
'Anyone going to mention the nice car and Starbucks coffee…' another asked.
Ms Upson-McPike replied that her car was only a 2012 Holden Barina and also clarified her most recent rent jump was from $390 a week to $450.
Some in the comments came out in defence of the landlord.
'Owner would be paying increased council rates, increase body corp rates and increased insurance rates,' one person wrote.
'As a landlord I can tell you the cost of interest, insurance and repairs has gone up dramatically,' another replied.
'So isn't it fair to pass on such increases?'
Others thought Ms Upson-McPike's rent did not sound so excessive considering the likely cost of the apartment would be $750,000.
Some contended her financial understanding needed work.
'Do you think $20,000 a year is going to pay a mortgage?' one said.
One commenter decided to contribute some dry humour.
'The problem, guys, is that you don't save money and only you expend in Netflix, coffee and phones,' the said.
'If you save this money, you could have the house in 1,874 years.'
