Covid 19 coronavirus: Landlord tells mum with disabled kids to 'get f*****'

After being contacted via email by the property agent in regards to rent decrease possibilities, the landlord hit the 'reply-all' button. Photo / 123RF

When Violet* learned that her husband had lost his IT job two weeks ago amid coronavirus lay-offs, she was worried, to say the least.

With three children to care for, two of whom are on the autism spectrum, Violet wondered how they were going to afford rent on her NDIS worker's salary.

"Only having one wage is quite tricky," the Brisbane mum told news.com.au. "Especially as I don't earn heaps in the disability field."

But the worst was yet to come.

Violet asked about the possibility of reducing her rent while she sorted out her situation.

Her landlord told her to "get f**ked".

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced a six-month moratorium on evictions, with renters fearing for how they'll keep a roof over their heads.

Violet explained how she'd never been in contact with her landlord before, always paying rent through her property manager.

"We originally sent the email [asking for a rent reduction] to the property manager – we were just running it past them, to see if it was possible.

"They must have passed it on to the landlord.

"We didn't ask them to, it was just an idea at that point."

Seeing she had an unread message, Violet opened up her emails, and came to a "heartbreaking realisation".

"These guys can get f*****," the reply from her landlord read.

"Well what sort of references will they think they will get from you if they behave like this?" he added.

Violet believes her landlord accidentally hit "reply all".

Scott Morrison has announced a raft of new measures to gives Aussies job security and financial backing. Photo / AP

"We couldn't believe it to start with – we'd never had any contact with the landlord before that," she said.

Violet's property manager was pretty unsympathetic too.

"The property manager himself just told us to buy a house," she said with a laugh.

"He was like: 'With your children maybe you should just get a property.'

"We decided not to answer at that point – don't you think we would if we could?

"It just makes us feel that no one is on our side."

The irony isn't lost on Violet – she's spent all her life helping people, first helping drug addicts and people with mental illnesses, and currently people eligible for the NDIS. But now no one will return the favour.

Morrison announced over the weekend that governments would excuse people or businesses who were unable to pay rent due to financial distress.

"My message to tenants, particularly to commercial tenants and commercial landlords is a very straightforward one — we need you to sit down, talk to each other and work this out," he said.

Shortages in supermarkets have hit the country hard. Photo / Supplied

Morrison warned banks and landlords that there would be consequences if they failed to help out struggling tenants.

Despite the governmental support for renters, Violet is not comforted.

"Even if we can't be evicted, we'll go on someone's blacklist because we haven't paid," she said.

"And we can't afford to go on someone's blacklist."

She sees it as simply delaying the inevitable.

"If all of it is owed at the end of the six months, that's an impossible burden to put on us," she said.

"It seems far more geared towards business leases rather than renters."

Real Estate Institute of NSW CEO Tim McKibbin agreed with Violet, explaining to Sky News how the six-month moratorium on evictions "transfers financial difficulties from the tenant to the landlord" and does nothing to "solve the actual problem".

The new legislation doesn't have a meaningful impact on the community because it "moves the problem from one party to another", according to McKibbin.
With her two autistic sons, Violet wishes the Government had given carers and people with disabilities a bit of a boost.

"My husband now gets a carer's payment which is based on my income," she said.

But the Government "didn't have anything for carers" in the coronavirus stimulus package, she pointed out.

People all over the world have lost their jobs and ability to pay rent due to the coronavirus pandemic. Photo / AP

Violet is feeling increasingly alone and isolated as the coronavirus pandemic continues to unfold.

"We moved up here [to Brisbane] from Victoria – we don't have any family or friends around," she said.

"There's no one to even slip us a little extra money or food.

"We've had difficulty finding things we need at the supermarket."

Violet's eldest child, 14, and youngest child, 9, both have autism.

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"Because of the nature of autism, they cannot cope with change in routine," she said.

"It could have really helped us to have A$100 off rent, ease a little difficulty."

Rice milk helps put Violet's youngest child to sleep – but she hasn't found any rice milk at the local supermarket for some time.

"Children with autism find sleep very difficult," she said.

"I often joke with people that I still haven't had a full night's sleep for 14 years."

As if that wasn't enough, Violet's middle child, aged 10, suffers from severe asthma.

"Even at school they've had to call ambulances for him," she said, and is concerned what will happen if he catches coronavirus.

In these uncertain times, what the future holds for her family is her greatest worry.

•Violet's last name has not been provided as she fears further repercussions from her landlord. Violet's Twitter account is not her real last name.