The Exploitation of Young Women

This dastardly tale of exploitation begins with a young pregnant woman. The lass fell pregnant with her first baby. She started looking for a place and was about to pop when she was approved. The house wasn’t great, but it was a house and a roof over her head.

After she moved in, she realised there was no hot water and the toilets didn’t flush. Obviously things you don’t check in an inspection. So she left the house until the plumbing was fixed a week and a half later. She paid rent up-front and wasn’t reimbursed for time not spent in the house. Pulling out of a lease isn't an option when the rent has been paid in advance and the cost of moving has already been incurred.

The carpeted floor was disgustingly filthy and unclean. The previous tenants did not have the carpets professional cleaned. So she steam-cleaned the carpet at her own expense. The young lass also found a dead rat in her bedroom when she moved in. She was absolutely speechless. A young struggling lass with a new baby comes up with bond and rent in advance. Honestly, you would think that a vermin-free environment would be a pre-requisite. And night after night with a new baby, she hears scurrying in the walls. Rats in the walls. Seriously, puke.

  

Later on, the lass realised that the house came with its very own special swarm of bees. The bees lived in the wall right next to the front door. She asked for the house to be insect-sprayed. This was not done. She was advised to purchase fly spray and use alternative entry. Curtains were not provided with the house. So the young lass requested some. She got what she asked for, but a few inches shorter.

The kitchen tap does not sit properly over the sink, so the lass has to use her hands to funnel water into the sink every time she washes the dishes. The house is impossible to heat because there are gaps in the wall. The gas point had been sawn off for some unknown reason. The real estate agency advised the young lass to fix any problems herself because the landlord was broke. This is a well-known and supposedly reputable real estate agency. The lass is a single working parent. Why should she be responsible for improvements and repairs?

 

The lass raises an interesting point about security. She asked that the landlord pet-proof her backyard so she could keep a dog to deter burglars and home invaders. Pet ownership can be an important home security measure. Nothing says ‘run like the wind’ like a fast dog with big yellow teeth: 'Smithers, release the hounds…' A dog is definitely a cheaper option than an expensive alarm system. As this tenant is a young lady, I think the request is quite reasonable. In New South Wales, landlords are legally obliged to provide security devices to ensure rental properties are safe. So its not really clear whether they have a duty to do things like pet-proof yards.

So what can we take away from this dastardly tale of exploitation? I think it is entirely possible that the lass was approved because she is young and inexperienced when it comes to dealing with tenancy issues. So I asked, why not take the landlord to the tribunal? The lass says she ‘doesn’t want to piss off the landlord’ and ‘doesn’t have enough time to fight’. The lass wanted to stay anonymous because she doesn’t wanted to get bad-mouthed in a small town. She wants to get a decent place and will need a reference from the landlord. She needs a good relationship with the real estate agency because they might help her find a new place. She doesn’t want a reputation for being a bad tenant.

The government should protect renters, such as this young lass. Legislative controls are necessary because the housing market has tightened so dramatically. Basic enforceable standards need to be introduced regarding pest control, plumbing, and heating. Renters should be able to report landlords for failing to meet minimum standards.