Wollongong pensioner evicted as housing insecurity grows among older people

The situation facing Geoff Beasley and his wife is symptomatic of a wider problem that is pushing a growing number of older people into housing stress and homelessness.

Mr Beasley, 73, and his wife were served with a notice in February to vacate their home of about five years, an apartment owned by Presbyterian Aged Care NSW/ACT, by May 19.

The notice seen by the Mercury said the tenancy agreement expired in 2020, but gave no further reason for the eviction.

However, Mr Beasley - who admitted he was in rental arrears - said he was informed it was a 'no grounds' eviction: currently legal in NSW, but which the state government committed to ending.

Presbyterian Aged Care NSW/ACT executive chair Margaret Mackenzie said they had chosen not to renew the agreement, although would not comment on the reason because it was a "private matter".

She said there was a "lengthy period of discussion with Mr Beasley".

"Presbyterian Aged Care cares for all people that it's associated with, both our residents and staff. We may take longer to reach decisions because of that care," Ms Mackenzie said.

Mr Beasley admitted he was about $10,000 behind on rent but said this was due to the cost eating up most of his pension, as well as all his savings and superannuation.

He is not alone in his struggle to keep up with rent.

Fiona York, executive officer of the Housing for the Aged Action Group (HAAG) said higher rental costs and the low rate of the pension meant more older people were struggling to pay housing costs.

In Victoria alone, she said, HAAG had seen a 60 per cent increase in the number of people calling for help in the past 12 months, most of whom were facing difficulties paying rent and evictions; it was likely a similar situation in NSW.

A new rental affordability snapshot from Anglicare says that of 10,735 properties advertised for rent across Greater Sydney and the Illawarra, just 11 - 0.1 per cent - are affordable and appropriate for a couple on the age pension.

Census data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, outlined in a 2023 report commissioned by HAAG, showed fewer people aged 55 and over own their own homes.

There was a 73 per cent jump between 2011 and 2021 in the number of older people in private rentals, which is considered the least secure form of housing in Australia.

The HAAG report, conducted by university researchers, said 81 per cent of older people in the lowest income quintile and living in private rentals were paying unaffordable rent, as were 55 per cent of those in the second-lowest income bracket.

Mr Beasley said he had offered to return to work to pay his rental debt but his proposal was rejected, although Presbyterian Aged Care NSW/ACT chief financial officer Jim Konstas said he had not received this offer.

Mr Beasley said his wife had already returned to work.

"I hope to be back at work sometime soon, I'll have to be," he said.

The impending eviction is causing Mr Beasley immense stress at a time when he is already facing health challenges.

"I worry about it, I don't sleep," he said.

Mr Beasley said he did not know where he and his life would live after they had to leave their home.

"We don't know, we've got nowhere. I've tried and tried."

Ms York said older people faced extra challenges when trying to find a new rental property, including struggles with online application processes and coming up against other prospective tenants who were working and had higher incomes.

"In our experience, older renters really struggle competing in the private rental market," she said.

Ms York said the government needed to step in and provide more public and community housing for older people because the private market could not provide housing at an affordable level, which was below about $250 a week.

"We need to have affordable housing options for older people on fixed incomes," she said.