Part 4: Two sides to every tale

This is the fourth part of a series we are running on Gartea Property Management. Alice has been dealing with Ms Van Beek, a property manager. She has asked us to publish her side of the story. We are happy to oblige.

The tenant has always paid her rent in a correct manner. Since she has moved in, the unit has a new dish washer, new sink, new dryer, cook-top and range hood. I believe she has been very well looked after in regards to her surroundings. The unit was clean, freshly painted and new carpet was laid prior to her moving furniture into the unit. The tenant checked off and signed an entry condition report. This happened in mid December 2013. Regarding allegations about the angles of photos, I have a large number taken prior to her moving in and these will stand up to any scrutiny.  

In April she started asking for her bed bugs to be treated quoting it's the landlord's responsibility to treat of bedbugs. I obliged by sending in professional pest control in April, then May and early July, then late July. She has been given sixty day notice to vacate the premises, as she was breached in late September for the cleanliness of her unit. In September, we were suppose to carry out the inspection and termite inspection, we walked in and her unit was extremely dirty, Alice said we could not do it as she is not ready. The unit was still very dirty, inside the kitchen cupboards were very dirty, the garage was filled up with bags and bags of rubbish and clutter and old mattresses.

I also noticed one bedroom the mattress had no cover on it and the condition of the mattress is alarming, old and dirty looking and torn. The notice was served because the tiled floor was so dirty and greasy, a far cry from how clean it was from when she moved in. Eventually I issued her with a notice to leave without grounds rather than renewing her lease. So she has to vacate and find another accommodation by end of December. If they can’t keep a unit in some basic form of "liveability" you cannot expect things to run smooth.

Alice did not know there was to be an inspection on that day. This is a clear breach of right of entry laws that require notice to be given.

Ms Van Beek has supplied us with photos as proof of her claims. There's only one problem. They are photos of an entirely different house.

Compare this with photos of the house actually in question.

 

Ms Van Beek has probably been getting away with this for years. When you go to tribunal, always make sure that you view the photos given to the member. She has also supplied us with pictures of the house being cleaned. But we don't know if they are of Alice's house or if they were taken at that time. Time stamps can be faked.

 

 

Ms Van Beek has also supplied us with a photo of the garage. Compare it to what the garage actually looks like. I suspect most garages would probably look like this. There is nothing stopping property managers from trying to use old photos of the premises.

 

 

Ms Van Beek has also supplied before and after photos of the hallway carpet. She claims this is proof of new carpet being laid down. This is incorrect. The new carpets were installed AFTER Alice moved in and not BEFORE and that's why they got bedbugs.

 

 

 

Dearie me, whatever happened to wear and tear. After two years, any hallway would probably look like this.

This is a really serious issue. Fake photos can be used to cover up fraud. If the money isn't going to cleaning, where is it going? How does a tenant even know if funds have been applied to the property? In practice, the power to breach a tenant for lack of cleanliness can be abused. The real photos show that the premises are in good condition.

We will keep you updated on any developments.

Postscript. Ms Van Beek admits she made a mistake "accidentally" forwarding the wrong photos.

  

 

Part 3: Bedbugs

This is the third part of a series we are running on Gartea Property Management. Alice has been dealing with Bonnie Van Beek, the property manager. In the second part we looked at how property managers keep tenants browbeaten. In this part, we are reveal how property managers avoid their statutory duty to provide health and safe properties.

Under s 185 of the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008 (Qld), landlords must ensure that premises are fit for tenants to live in, and not in breach of health and safety laws.

Here are some of the photos of how we have been affected by the bed bugs. These are the bites me and my baby received. This was the first time she paid for the Pest control professional to come in.

 

The landlord paid for the first few times for the pest control guy to come in but now refuses to pay for it anymore and says that it is my responsibility. The bed bugs have not completely gone and now my furniture is infected which I will have to get rid of when I move out. I have spoken to neighbours, who have said, the previous tenant before me complained of bedbugs. I also spoke to the previous tenants from the unit adjoined to us, and they also complained about bed bugs. The landlord refuses to believe it and said that I must have brought them here. I have never, ever had bed bugs. I have been told by the pest control professional that it definitely is bedbug excrement and I have the photo’s to prove that it.

 

She has also refused to pay the pest control guy again for taking care of the bed bug problem even though it was here before I moved in, and so now I will be put out of pocket because I am paying for a problem that was never mine. I will get the pest control guy to come in myself (because the landlord will not pay for it) and I will get him to write a statement to say that it is bed bugs. She also tried to say that it was my responsibility for all pest control because of the by-laws but she left out the parts where it says that it is only if it is in a pest free state before moving in.

 

Residents are usually unable to contact former tenants to confirm whether the bedbug infestation existed before they moved in. Property managers are unlikely to provide contact details to tenants because this would support their case. Alice was lucky because the previous tenants had spoken to their neighbours. Including special contractual clauses making pests the tenant's responsibility is a deliberate strategy. It often confuses tenants who might be unaware of their rights under the Act.

Postscript. Ms Van Beek claims this photos is evidence that the bedbugs came from the tenant's furniture. Somehow we doubt that very much. All we see is an old torn mattress.

 

Part 2: Keeping tenants browbeaten

This is the second part of a series we are running on Gartea Property Management. Alice has been dealing with Bonnie Van Beek, the property manager. In the first part, we looked at how condition reports are used to exploit tenants. Now we are going to look at what property managers do to keep tenants browbeaten.

Alice contacted Ms Van Beek and raised concerns as to the misleading and deceptive nature of the condition report. But no reply. No response. This is a strategy. Property managers know written communications can be produced as evidence at tribunal. This is very upsetting for already stressed and distressed tenants. If you're dealing with someone dodgy, record phone calls and keep text messages.

Ms Van Beek went on the attack and issued a notice to remedy breach. And again, this is a very deliberate strategy. It's called throwing mud. If you throw enough mud at someone, sometimes it sticks. And some unwary tribunal members fall for this trick even though they really should know better. Property managers know that tenants are unlikely to respond to these notices.

Property managers try to get around the rule that notice be given for inspections. Ms Van Beek falsely alleged that the house was not in a clean state. But she didn't even view the house. She spoke to the repair man and the pest control dude. This is just another loophole that needs closing. This is what Alice has to say:

I also received a notice to remedy breach today which was dated the 30/09/2014 which said "please clean up unit as it is in extremely dirty condition" (her exact words). Now this is a lie. She had not even come on to the property and seen the house and there was no routine inspection scheduled. I tried to ring her phone but she never answered and I tried to go to the office but she wasn't there. So my brother rang off his phone and she answered. She said that the maintenance guy and the pest control guy reported this to her which is why I got the notice. My house was not extremely dirty and I am deeply offended by the accusations. She never came to inspect the property herself nor does she have any supporting evidence.

Oh and by the way I rang the pest control guy and he denied saying anything to her about the state of my house, all he can say, is if there were obstacles in the way that blocked him having access to certain areas and completing his job, nothing about the cleanliness. I have yet to speak to the maintenance guy about the issue. So I also spoke about this to the RTA and they said that she can report a notice to remedy breach for pretty much anything but I do have a right to dispute it, which I am doing at the moment. I am so shocked at my treatment and it is unbelievable the lengths this landlord is willing to go to make me look bad. I pay $370 for this house and I keep it well looked after others pay $390-$400 a week for the same house.

Ms Van Beek has also issued a "no-grounds" notice and failed to specify the correct dates according to the law.

And also, the notice to remedy breach form that was issued to me on the 31st of October 2014, except my lease runs out on the 18th of December 2014. She has put the dates from the 31st of October 2014 to the 31st of December because she knows that you have to give at least 2 months notice to issue a Notice to leave without grounds. However the real notice period she has given me is 6 weeks and 5 days. It also has to be agreed to by both parties (because it is a fixed term agreement), yet I did not agree to it.

Alice also received a letter advising her that the rent would go up $30 per week if she decided to renew the lease. The lesson here is to check all notices you receive carefully against the Act.

 

Alice is firmly of the view she has been targeted because she stood up for her rights. In the next part, we will look at how property managers dodge the duty to provide safe and healthy premises. Stay tuned, it's a doozy.

Takeaways

• Keep texts or save as images on your phone for use in legal proceedings
• Record conversations when talking about legal obligations

Postscript. Alice spoke with the maintenance guy and told him that Bonnie alleged her house was not clean. He said he never wrote a report and that Bonnie had asked him what her house looked like.

Part 1: Fraudulent Condition Reports

This is the first part of a series we are running on Gartea Property Management. Alice has been dealing with Bonnie Van Beek, the complex manager. Bonnie owns a few of the houses and is a member of the body corporate. We are going to explore how condition reports are used to exploit tenants.

 

When Alice moved in, her landlord made her sign the condition report without letting her make comments:

The day that I signed the lease, I came to inspect the property again so that I could complete the entry report (take photos; write down comments, record any damages, marks, etc). My landlord approached me and told me not to worry about the Condition Report because everything that needed to be noted had been done so, and I believed her. She then made me sign the Condition Report and off she left, without giving me a copy. Little to her knowledge I had already taken a few pictures when I initially came to the viewing (unfortunately they are not as detailed as they would have been had I taken photos for the entry report, but I have them). Nine months later, I remembered that I never received a copy of the Condition Report.

This is a clear breach of Queensland’s tenancy law. Tenants must be provided with a signed copy of the condition report before they move in so they can protect themselves legally by noting any issues.  Alice did the right thing taking photos when she first looked at the property. If you think you are dealing with someone dodgy, and you have the time and the inclination, it's worth doing.  

Here are the photos Alice took when she first inspected the property:

 

 

 

 

The plot thickens. When Alice eventually received a copy of the condition report, she realised there were many inconsistencies:

The house looks okay, its looks clean, there does not appear to be any problems. But there are no close-up pictures of marks on the walls, and it seems the camera was angled purposely to insure that any marks or damages cannot be seen. You can clearly see that the Entry Report was falsely filled out on purpose.

 

Here are the photos taken by the agent:

 

 

Alice has listed all the differences between the condition report and photos and the actual condition of the house and yards:

• Almost everything in the report had been checked off as clean and undamaged. A lot of issues, such as marks on the wall, aren’t even mentioned.  
• The photos that the landlord supplied are few and not in detail (no close-ups). They are printed onto paper with each photo being small in size and not very clear. It is almost impossible to see any traces of smudges, marks or damage due to the poor quality of the photos. It is also noticeable that the areas where I HAVE found there to be problems, have been purposely avoided.
• There are also photos missing of the back yard, where there are large dirt patches from the previous tenant. 
• In Bedroom 2 there are cigarette burns on the window sill. The blinds were deliberately closed in the photos so they could not be seen.
• There are four blinds missing in Bedroom 3. There is no mention of this in the Condition Report.
• The Condition Report also refers to “New Carpets”. There were no new carpets when we first moved in, although landlord did mention that she might put in new carpets. I sent an email requesting receipts to which she never replied.
• The place wasn't in the best state when I moved in and I know it wasn't professionally cleaned either. When I asked for a receipt from the cleaners I was ignored. There were marks on the walls which I had to scrub off before moving in (unfortunately they can't be seen in my photos) and when I told my landlord, she said that the house was newly painted before I moved in. When I requested a receipt from the painter and the date I was again ignored.

 

 

1.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is definitely a difference between misleading the tribunal and presenting your case in a favourable light. I looked at the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2009 (Qld). Under section 216, a person must not state or prove a document to the tribunal that is "false or misleading" in a material particular. In this instance, the evidence shows that the claims are factually incorrect.

 

This is not a trifling matter. A few blinds, some tiles, a paint job, and new carpet - and you're definitely losing your bond. If you don't get your bond back, you've got to come up with all that money to pay for the new place. If estimated damages are more than the bond, then you could easily end up on a tenant database. And you could end up homeless. In exchange, the landlord gets a windfall and a free renovation. The worst thing is you don't even know if the money goes to repairs (unless you're friendly with the neighbours). This is probably why the housing stock in Australia is of such poor quality.

 

But Alice is going to fight this injustice. In the next instalment, we are going to look at strategies property managers use to keep tenants browbeaten.

 

Takeaways

• Don't trust your agent to do the right thing
• Remember to take photos of the property when you move in
• Make sure the photos are time-stamped
• Note every tiny little issue on the condition report

 

Are you serious?

A very serious matter has been brought to my attention. A tenant at her wit’s end contacted me with concerns about a tribunal decision. Since I started the blog, I have heard many shockers. This is a prime example of bad treatment, not only by landlords and property managers, but the justice system as well.

Rosalie’s landlord was stealing her electricity. He was tapping into it while building a new unit in the backyard area. Believe it or not, this is a big problem. I have heard complaints of this nature before. Everyone knows the cost of power has gone through the roof. Pensioners are rugging up because they can’t afford to pay their bills. The Grattan Institute has been doing some really interesting work on this subject. In their view, Aussies are paying too much for power. In the last five years, the average bill has risen by about 70%. This has been attributed to the Gillard’s carbon pricing reforms, when really it’s the price-gouging operators. So basically, it’s really important that tenants are charged fairly and accurately for their power consumption.

So Rosalie went to her property manager and complained. The property manager proposed that the bill be split with the landlord. She says to Rosalie, ‘Just give me the bills, I know how to work it out. I do it all the time’. Do they take tenants for fools? Rosalie knows her rights. The Residential Tenancies Act 1997 (Vic) is very clear. In cases like this, the landlord is to take full financial responsibility. There is a very clear policy reason. It is unfair on tenants to pay when their exact power usage can’t be determined. With respect to rented premises, there must be a separate meter. Section 52 states:

A tenant is liable for all charges in respect of the supply or use of electricity, gas or oil in respect of the tenant's occupation of rented premises that are separately metered...

This is what Rosalie has to say:

They have no right asking to look at the bills but they do and I imagine tenants not fully knowing their rights just hand over their private bills. It’s bullying. I spoke to a lot of electrical technicians, AGL, sparkies, engineers, and REIV - they all said that there is no way that anyone can work the bills out or split them accurately, that’s why the owner has to take it over. I didn't hand over my bills; I just wanted the owner to comply with the Act from the day the connection was made.

The plot thickens. Rosalie decided to go to tribunal. The tribunal member tells Rosalie’s landlord to credit her bill. So the landlord has turned around and evicted her.

...when the member at VCAT also tried to work it out I nearly died. So the tribunal member tells the owner to credit me $500 for the first 3 months and then to credit me $100 per month after that until the construction is finished. But get this one - Now I’ve been given notice to vacate - 'owner to renovate' - which means that I won’t get to make good use of the credits. Now the owner is using my power to run a cement mixer because he's putting up the new fence. So now he’s just taking all the power he wants and I feel helpless to do anything about it.

It’s not like he’s living next door, he’s building a bloody house! I am seriously concerned about how VCAT treats tenants. Out of all the states and territories, Victoria is notorious for its treatment of tenants. The President of VCAT agrees that there is a problem. In a 2009 report, he says there are “serious deficiencies” in the accessibility of justice to the Victorian community, particularly tenants. He says:

In the residential tenancies jurisdiction, the tribunal has been very successful in delivering access to justice to landlords, but tenants are not exercising their rights to the same extent. About 95% of applications are initiated by landlords, most of them online. About 80% of those go ahead undefended without the tenant appearing at the hearing.

On our Facebook page, there are tenants, property managers, and some landlords. The tenants say the tribunal is biased in favour of landlords, the landlords say tenants have all the rights. Well, this is a very real and concrete example of unfair treatment. The law is not protecting tenants from exploitation. It’s not only the law; it’s also the way the tribunals and courts deal with matters.

There is this thing called the rule of law. Everyone is supposed to be treated equally. And I don’t think tenants are treated equally. So stay tuned, we will bring you more on this saga. We might even name and shame...

See more:

• Grattan Report, Fair Pricing for Power (2014)
• VCAT, President’s Review (2009)

 

 

Time for Strategy: Part 2

It's been a while since I wrote my first instalment on the eviction of public housing tenants from Sydney's harbour front - Millers Point, the Rocks, and Dawes Point. As promised, I am going to look at potential strategies and tactics residents can use in the resistance.

But first, here's an update on what's happened so far...

The NSW Liberal Government has been doing a pretty good job of screwing over elderly, the disabled, the working class, the vulnerable, and the disadvantaged. The taskforce on Sydney's housing affordability crisis has not met in over a year. But is has gotten rid of strict heritage rules for property developers. We also know that the government feels comfortable cooking the books to hide the deadly effect of sell-off. There has been reports of hospitalisations, a heart attack, and at least one suicide. Some excellent reporting from Nicole Hasham, Sydney Morning Herald.

How do they sleep at night?
 
And also, the campaign to save Millers Point, et al...

The indomitable Barney Gardner has been front and centre of the campaign. There has been sustained media attention from mainstream and alternative media, mostly sympathetic. Social cleansing. Two-legged rats. Let's not forget that the residents took on the government in the 1970's, and won. The government is experiencing getting its message across. Good. There has been some really good fundraising initiatives, from t-shirts to family days. Great. You can't run a campaign without money. If you have coins to spare, please consider making a donation.

But, have they won..?

Nope. The government has pressured some residents to relocate, but many are refusing to move. We understand 102 households have accepted offers of relocation but a further 291 at Millers Point and the Rocks have not accepted the offers. The hard data is a little sobering, but we must remember this is a David and Goliath battle. The NSW Liberal Government has employed questionable tactics from the very start. It has been inundating residents with casual drop-ins, telephone calls, texts, letters, and interviewing residents with no lawyers, guardians, or support persons.

I could think of a few choice words to describe this behaviour, but I will restrain myself. Indecent. Immoral. Unethical. Unconscionable.

What else can be done..?

We need to dig in our heels and up the ante. Labour in opposition is opposed to the fire sale. The next NSW election is scheduled for next year, March.

Delay, delay, delay

It is difficult not to link the Millers Point sell-off with claims of large-scale and systemic corruption. Property developers have been banned from making political donations in New South Wales since 2009. We know now that members of the Liberal Party have been accepting bribes from property developers. There has been talk of bundles of cash. I wouldn't be surprised if the Independent Commission into Corruption (ICAC) is quietly investigating the sell-off. Eight MPs have stood down, including former Premier, Barry O'Farrell. In light of this scandal, the sale of Millers Point is hardly tenable. If I was Mike Baird, I would be seriously reconsidering this decision. If anyone has any information, please come forward.

Ramp up the resistance

We've got to ramp up the resistance. There comes a point where no matter the community outrage, the government forges ahead with its plans. I would be talking to trade unions to see how they can help. I would refuse to comply with eviction and other notices. I would be picketing inspections and auctions of the properties. I would be employing peaceful resistance tactics. I would be holding prayer vigils in parliamentary offices.

Above all else, tenants must stick together no matter what. I have seen Channel 10 interview homeless people  for their views on the sell-off. This is part and parcel of the NSW Liberal Government's strategy. Divide and conquer. As I've said before, I highly doubt the Liberal Government is going to reallocate funding to housing. Look at the evidence.

Media Coverage:

• Tim Barlass, 'Rats plague vulnerable elderly of Millers Point, UN told' (Sydney Morning Herald, 3 August 2014)
• Kate McClymont, 'ICAC told former police minister Mike Gallacher was 'orchestrating' illegal donations from Nathan Tinkler's property development company'  (Sydney Morning Herald, 13 August 2013)
• Nicole Hasham, 'Heritage rules scrapped for Millers Point buyers' (Sydney Morning Herald, 12 August 2014)
• Nicole Hasham, 'Government downplayed death warning at Millers Point' (Sydney Morning Herald, 10 August 2014) 

 

 

 

 

Housing through the eyes of disability

The other day I was reading stories of people with disabilities in their own words. It became obvious that special-needs individuals need a fairer go in housing. The stories resonate with me because a family friend is a full-time carer for her husband who is in a wheelchair. I have collated some quotes to provide a snapshot of the challenges people with disabilities face accessing appropriate housing.

Affordable housing

• “The mining boom took hold with accommodation shortages, and rental prices sky-rocketed. We had to find cheaper accommodation. I contacted Department of Housing to discover that we would probably qualify for Homeswest housing, but that we could not specify the suburb we needed to be in, and the waiting list was long. I explained my desperate situation but it didn’t seem to matter. I could not be transferred through to the man I had been recommended to contact. We didn’t really know what to do about Sam’s schooling, but we knew we could not live in a typical low socio-economic area as our sensitive boys would not cope. At the eleventh hour we found a private rental house in Canning Vale and jumped at it to avoid living in a tent in my in-laws backyard.”

Accessible housing

• “It has been a struggle to find accessible housing, and when I was evicted from my private rental 3 years ago, it took the Department of Housing two years to find me somewhere accessible. This resulted in great physical and mental stress. Again, I have NO family support at all, and have to do everything for myself - something that most able-bodied people can't do, even yourself.”

Appropriate housing

• “I’m forty nine and I live in regional WA. I used to work in a pretty physical job. I lost my leg when I contracted septicemia...When I left, I went home with no leg and no support at home. It was pretty hard. I had a wheelchair but I couldn’t get to the toilet because my house wasn’t cut out for it.”

Adequate housing 

• “That, compounded by my cerebral palsy, means that I am now on the DSP with my husband as my full-time carer. My marriage has suffered unbearable strain and we are now living in a caravan and basically broke because the only information you receive is through talking to someone else who has already been there and then there is the stress of dealing with uncaring government departments like Centrelink and Homeswest.”

Safety and security

• “I have a form of muscular dystrophy called Facioscapulohumeral. Muscular dystrophy is a degenerative condition. When I was diagnosed they told me a wheelchair would come one day. Over time my legs became weaker, it because more difficult to walk and climb stairs...There was a period of time when I couldn’t access my own home, I couldn’t get in my own front door because I could not lift my arm to reach the key in the lock. I had to get in through the side gate, and come through the back door. But I couldn’t put a padlock on it. I applied for some funding for alterations to my front door so I could come in and out. It took 12 months from the first phone call to the new door being fitted. While I didn’t have a lock on my back gate, I was vulnerable, and I had someone break into my house while I was home. It was very scary – being a single woman on my own and hearing someone coming into my home in my back window. It took me quite a while to sleep again after that.”

Losing the family home

• “My child can’t be supported at a specialist school because his IQ is too high and he can’t be supported in life because there is nothing out there for him. Even basic information early on and fewer waiting lists would have made a huge difference. Now he has chronic anxiety at the age of 11 and he has talked about suicide. He has to go to high school next year and I now have to get a job, we are going to lose our house if I am not working too. I don’t know how I will do this and the financial strain and the strain on my marriage is huge. I don’t know what to do, where to go and how to fix it.”

The housing market is tough enough. But it is especially tough for individuals with special needs. I really don't think the invisible hand of the market is going to magically deliver homes to individuals with necessary adjustments. Vulnerable and marginalised people shouldn't be living in tents or caravans because the state doesn't care about housing.

See more:

• Bolshy Divas - The other 100 stories
• Karen Soldatic and Terence Love, 'New forms of disability activism: who on earth are the Bolshy Divas?', Ramp Up, (11 July 2012)

House Trap - Funny story, serious message

The following is an original piece by T.M. Collins. It was first published by Quadrant in 1993. It says a lot about attitudes with respect to pets, privacy, and repairs. Very insightful.

Leaving the flat I noticed the Trebles hadn't taken in their milk. Must've had a wild night, I thought, reversing the car out. People of their age, in their seventies partaking in sexual activities that people half their age wouldn't do. The neighbours reckoned they had aids. I knew they did. Being the landlord I was able at times to enter the flats for routine checks. On one such occasion I found the aids, sexual aids in an old shoe box under their bed. When I found the box it was just protruding from under the bed. But it was none of my business what the tenants did as long as it was not illegal. The old pair also kept six mice as pets. Pets were against the rules but I let them have them for the company. I hoped someone would do the same for me if I was in a similar situation. Still couldn't believe it though - people of their age, behaving like young newlyweds. Driving off I soon forgot about my sexually active tenants. Getting to work was more important. Arriving home late I noticed a police car in Trev and Sheila Treble's driveway. Entering my home I wondered what might have happened. Before too long I saw two police officers walking up my pathway. They knocked at the door. I opened it. They stood there for a moment looking me over.   

"Mister Toby," asked the older of the two policemen. "Yes," I replied hooking my red suspenders over my shoulders and resetting my glasses on my nose. "Are you the landlord of these flats?" asked the sergeant. "Yes I am. What's the matter?" I asked. "The couple next door have been found dead. No suspicious circumstances. Left the gas on at the stove. We believe it was suicide. That has not been officially confirmed yet, but it is the most probable cause. We'd like to know if you heard anything or have any information that might help us." "Suicide. It couldn't have been. Not them. They wouldn't do such a thing," I answered in amazement. Maybe they died while they were having sex, I thought to myself. "No, I can't help you at all. Sorry," I continued. "Did you know they kept mice in there?" enquired the younger policeman. "Yes, I did. They were their pets," I answered. The younger policeman continued: "The man and woman were found prone in the act of lovemaking. What can you say about that?" "Nothing, I'm afraid," I said, embarrassed. "If you remember anything please contact us. Perhaps you might think why they would do such a thing. Thanks for the talk Mister Toby," said the sergeant. As they left I had a funny feeling there was more to this than what they had divulged.  

I had lunch and all the time wondered just why or how they could do such a thing during sex. Perhaps they were real crazies and I didn't know it. The lights were always left on at night, in fact all night. Putting my dishes away in the cupboard I imagined them being porn stars in their younger days. Just what would have Sheila looked like years back? There was a knock at the door. A funeral parlour attendant informed me they were moving the bodies. Next morning's paper reported the death of two elderly people, gassed to death in their flat. There was no mention of them having been in the middle of sexual relations when they died. The story stated they'd gone to bed and left on one of the knobs at their stove. It quoted the police having said it was a simple case of suicide. But why only one gas burner and not all six?  

I decided to visit the flat. Having no living relatives the Trebies had willed all their belongings to the local church. I'd received a call from the parish priest and he'd told me some parishioners would arrive early in the morning to clean out the flat. I wanted to check the place out before anything was removed. Plain curiosity, I suppose. Anyway I was the landlord. Inside I noticed nothing strange except four dead mice on the kitchen bench beside a loaf of bread. The Trebies released the mice at night. They believed the mice chased the cockroaches away. But there were six mice. Where were the other two? There was still a strong smell of gas in the flat as I walked through. I wasn't about to touch anything, with the police being involved and fingerprints and the two deaths. It was hard to accept that they'd killed themselves. Why would they do such a thing? Why? I decided to leave. Walking back into the kitchen I glanced across at the stove and was utterly shocked at what I saw. A mouse was running treadmill-like on one of the stove knobs. In front of my eyes the knob was slowly rotating, thereby turning the gas on. A week or so ago they'd asked me to fix a loose knob on the stove.

Time for Strategy: Part 1

If you have been hiding under a rock, you might have missed the announcement that the NSW Liberal Government's is selling high-value properties on Sydney's harbour front - Millers Point, the Rocks, and Dawes Point. Public housing tenants, many of whom are elderly and disabled, are being evicted from their homes.

The NSW Liberal Government says it is going to reinvest moneys into public housing. We call bullshit. We think this is the beginning of the end. It is going to sell off its housing stock until there is nothing left. This is consistent with its user pays philosophy. The Liberal Party does not believe in having a safety net. It thinks individuals should pay whatever the market dictates. On another level, the sell-off is about class warfare. If the NSW Government succeeds, the working class will be pushed out, and well-to-do professional types will take over. Property developers are hovering, and they have much to gain. This is a struggle important to all tenants, including public housing tenants. 

 

The tenants are fighting back. The resistance is mounting. To win, they must have a strategy for success. But first, we must first ascertain what strategies the NSW Liberal Government have in place.

1. Divide and conquer - I think they are relying on the strategy of 'divide and conquer'. The media has reported that evictees will have to endure  a cruel lucky dip process for their new homes. The power of these tenants lie in their collective force, and they should resist ploys that seek to divide them.

2. Campaign of misinformation - The NSW Liberal Government went about its task in a misleading and deceptive manner. Minister Pru Goward highlighted the issue of social housing subsidies. This gave the impression that taxpayers' money was paid to tenants. Completely untrue. As the NSW Brown Couch pointed out - tenants pay rent to NSW Housing, not the other way around. By and large, I think the media has backed the residents. A plethora of articles about the sale have been published. I don't include the Daily Telegraph, it's not really a newspaper anymore. More of a blow horn for vested interests. Residents have a powerful tool at their disposal. They can rely on the media to combat deliberate untruths and falsehoods. Social media will also play an important role. The residents have a Facebook page, and a blog.

3. Class envy - The NSW Liberal Government expertly manipulated Sydney's class envy. It played into the middle classes' ambivalence about social welfare, and the deservingness of welfare (well-being?) recipients. Some of the comments on social media have displayed a degree of anger and bitterness I have never seen. Make no mistake, this manoeuvre was deliberate. We think all Aussies should have access to affordable and appropriate housing irrespective of ability to pay. There's only one way to combat ignorance, and that's education. In a fair society, we help people who can't help themselves.

5. Framing - Minister Pru Goward tried to frame the sell-off as a fairness issue. When she made the announcement on 18 March 2014, she said, 'I cannot look taxpayers of NSW in the eye, I cannot look at other public housing tenants in the eye, and I cannot look at the 57,000 people on the waiting list in the eye when we preside over such an unfair distribution of subsidies.' I almost puked when I heard her say this. I would like to know how much political spin doctors were paid to sell this decision. See how she manipulates perceptions of truth when she refers to looking people in the eye. The residents don't think the decision was fair. There was no consultation, no procedural fairness. And really, it is their feelings that matter. It is their homes, and their lives.

4. Exhaustion - The government is well-resourced and formidable enemy. Last year, Holdfast Bay Council evicted 40 permanent residents from Brighton Caravan Park. Only recently, the residents announced that they were backing down, and calling a halt to their legal battle. They were worn out. They had suffered physically, emotionally, and financially. The government knows that many of the residents don't have the wherewithal to handle a protracted fight. They are counting on it. They know people need stability. The tenants are going to need, not only financial support, but emotional support as well.

The tenants must also make a realistic appraisal of their strengths and weaknesses. As I intimated above, many of the tenants are elderly and/or disabled and don't have fantastically strong coping skills. On the other hand, many of the tenants are of the working class and are used to fighting for their rights. Some of the tenants are retired members of unions like the CFMEU. The weakness can also be turned into a strength. The government won't look good if it forcibly evicts residents from their homes. I can see it now - 'Sorry Mr Police Officer, can I please grab my walking frame before you throw me in the paddy wagon!'. On the other hand, the residents of Millers Point form a strong collective. They are organised and they don't want to lose their homes. As this is close-knit community, they have a base to work from. Stronger together, as the saying goes.

It is my view that the residents have reasonable  to good prospects of success. In the next instalment, I will look at potential strategies and tactics the residents can use to protect their homes.