Former UOW student Holly Grace knows what it's like to live in a flooded share house, battling property damage, mould and uncooperative real estate agents.
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After severe weather and flooding in the Illawarra this week, she's lived a reality that many young renters are now facing.
Ms Grace lived in a share house in Keiraville that flooded in 2020. The flooding caused damage and long-term mould problems that ended in a battle in the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
"One of the girl's rooms was completely unusable. All of her possessions were destroyed," Ms Grace said.
Despite the damage, the landlord refused to work with the tenants to solve the issues.
"They didn't reduce our rent or anything. They told us to sleep in each other's rooms. They pretty much brushed it off like it wasn't a big deal. The whole house was flooding. We couldn't even shower," she said.
When the flood damage and drainage pipe was finally fixed, Ms Grace and her housemates had a new challenge: persistent mould.
"After the flooding, we got mould in our laundry. It was always damp, it always smelt."
After severe weather hit the Illawarra this week, many New South Wales tenants are facing the fallout. For young people and new renters, it can be difficult to know what damages you're liable for and where to get advice, Tenants Union NSW CEO Leo Patterson Ross said.
"Our disaster damage fact sheet has had a 1500 percent increase in views. About 2000 people have accessed it today, and it's early days," he said on Thursday.
"After these events, we see a lot of leaks and mould appear, because the buildings have taken a battering. Sometimes they're obvious and sometimes they're not."
While Ms Grace's housemate received some compensation for damage to her possessions, many young people are left to bear the cost of damaged laptops, clothes and other items after flooding, Mr Patterson Ross said.
"It's a really tough space for people because most tenants don't have contents insurance, particularly young renters," Mr Patterson Ross said.
"Loss of belongings and goods depends on the circumstances. If it's unforeseen, then it will be the tenant's liability to replace those things. The landlord is only responsible if they haven't maintained the property."
For renters like Ms Grace who face disagreements with landlords, there are two avenues, Mr Patterson Ross said. Tenants and landlords can go through Fair Trading NSW, where an officer can help mediate a discussion for free. Tenants can also take the issue to the tribunal, although this incurs a fee.
Young people in the Illawarra who are concerned about water damage and mould in their rental accommodation can contact the Illawarra and South Coast Tenants Service for free advice, Mr Patterson Ross said.
University of Wollongong students can also access free legal advice through the university's student legal clinic.
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