Are you fed up with politicians who look after themselves or their special interest groups, rather than the community?
The author of the article below is a Justice Matters' subscriber who prefers to remain anonymous. She does not want accolades or to be in the spotlight, she only wants to do her bit to help others who are suffering. She feels strongly that our politicians are not doing enough to assist the disadvantaged or to hold unscrupulous agents to account.
I recently met Peter, a 79-year-old pensioner who fell over on the street in front of me because his grocery bags were too heavy. I offered to carry his bags home and found that he had very little food or furniture, no cupboards, no fridge and no lights - he was living in abject poverty.
The windows were broken and his real estate agent would not allow him to have a heater. His place was so cold that he was forced to sleep fully clothed with a scarf and beanie.
Peter is safe now, but I worry how many others are left to live in poverty with nobody to care for them. That is why Justice Matters is so important, because we need decent politicians who care about the community.
Over the next week a friend of mine fixed Peter's lights and windows, told the agent they could not stop him having a heater, bought him a heater, furniture, fridge, appliances, lamps, kitchen cupboards, wardrobes, food and a mobile phone in case of an emergency.
"That is why Justice Matters is so important, because we need politicians who care about the community."
If my friend was able to do all of this in just a week, then imagine the difference our politicians could make if they genuinely cared. That is why Justice Matters is so important, because we need decent politicians who care about the community.
Peter's tenancy did not meet minimum standards
Peter said that the lights and windows had been broken for at least 10 years, by the looks of them that would be accurate. A short while after I met Peter he received a hand written note from the real estate agent threatening to "kick Peter onto the streets" if he did not pay his unpaid rent by 2pm that afternoon. There was no ledger or an amount that he was meant to pay. This was on a Friday and the note said he would be kicked out of his home of 20 years on the following Monday.
My friend contacted the landlord and the real estate agent to tell them they could not kick Peter out without following due process and to find out what the unpaid rent amount was so it could be paid. He also asked why they had not repaired the broken lights and windows, and what authority they used to tell Peter he could not have a heater.
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The landlord responded with insulting emails. He should face prosecution by the government and/or the regulators, for taking unfair advantage of a vulnerable pensioner.
Peter's lights and windows had not been repaired for several years, despite the landlord's obligation to ensure the property met minimum living standards. The real estate agent and landlord must be held to account. As should the real estate agency's CEO, who made baseless threats when he was advised about the matter.
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One of the agents threatened to "kick Peter onto the streets" without following any due process. We contacted NSW Fair Trading and they could not find any record of the agent having been registered. We contacted the agency and the CEO about whether they had employed an unlicensed agent but they did not respond.
The agency terminated their relationship with the landlord and blamed him for not carrying out the repairs. My friend advised the agency that did not absolve them of responsibility for not carrying out the repairs for several years, they had a legal responsibility to ensure that the property met a minimum standard and they had no authority to tell Peter he could not use a heater.
The CEO responded with a heavy-handed email that included baseless threats of legal action against my friend. The CEO and the directors of the agency should also face prosecution by the government, for taking unfair advantage of a vulnerable pensioner.
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My friend contacted NSW Fair Trading to ensure that the agents were licensed. They were unable to find any records for the agent who threatened to kick Peter out onto the streets. We contacted the agency and the CEO about whether they had employed an unlicensed agent but they did not respond.
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Politicians must ensure the landlord, agent and CEO are held to account
There is no question that Peter's tenancy did not meet minimum standards, for several years. On the day I met Peter, I went back that evening to check on him. I found his home in darkness and it was freezing cold because the windows were broken. He was cooking noodles (that was all he could afford) rugged up in a scarf and beanie, holding a penlight. I asked Peter how long he had been living with no lights and broken windows, he said it was about 10 years, it broke my heart.
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Aside from a moral obligation to look after a vulnerable 79 year old pensioner, the landlord and the real estate agent had a legal obligation to ensure the property met minimum standards. What upsets me the most is the manner in which they responded after they had been found out, in my mind they should face criminal prosecution by the government and/or the regulators.