Rooming house horror

Lucas is 34 years of age and continues to have limited options for housing other than living in rooming houses, registered and unregistered. Lucas had been living in an unregistered rooming house in for a period of 4 months and previously resided in an unregistered rooming house in another local government area.

When PCLC RHOP first met Lucas he was experiencing ongoing harassment and intimidation from the Rooming House Operator (RHO) requesting he vacate the premises prior to a scheduled inspection by local council. The RHO threatened to and followed through with disconnecting the power supply at the premises.

The RHO offered Lucas alternative accommodation in another unregistered rooming house. Unfortunately what the RHO described and what Lucas discovered differed significantly. The premises were in substantial disrepair including no locks on room doors and damaged windows.

During this time PCLC Rooming House Outreach continued to visit and follow up with phone calls to Lucas offering timely tenancy advice, connecting Lucas to PCLC TAAP services and linking him to a local housing agency for assistance with rental payments. Most importantly, alternative accommodation was found in a registered, fully compliant rooming house in the same local government area.

Regulators have been informed by PCLC RHOP about multiple unregistered premises being run by the above registered rooming house operator. Local Government Environmental Health Officers continue to monitor the operator with what appears to be a pattern of non-compliance and high risk impacting on vulnerable and disadvantaged homeless persons in our community.