A Gold Coast property manager is going above and beyond the call of duty to help an elderly tenant find a new home as his landlords can no longer offer him low rental rates.
Jamie Wernert, of Schmith Estate Agents, has started a GoFundMe page and raised more than $43,000 to help her 80-year-old tenant Denis find a new property in the Gold Coast’s tight rental market.
“Denis has been in his property for six years and the owners have been fantastic in giving him low rent for such a long time but, unfortunately, they are no longer in a position to be able to do that for him,” Ms Wernert said.
“So he has to move on, but with the rental market the way it is at the moment, it’s just crazy.
“Denis doesn’t have any support and he can’t use the internet to search for a new rental. Then you add to that the fact he doesn’t have a lot of money because his pension just covers his rent, bills and a little bit of food.”
Ms Wernert said she initially started the GoFundMe page to try and raise enough money to assist with Denis’s moving costs, such as removalists and to maybe be able to add a few extra items to his groceries for a week or two.
“Denis didn’t have anyone to help him so I thought I could lend a hand,” she said.
“As a property manager you do really care about what is happening with your tenants.
“I thought maybe we could raise $100 or $200, but I never expected it to take off like it did.
“Obviously people have understood his situation and put themselves in his shoes. That money can now assist with paying his rent, it can pay his bills and it can mean buying extra fruit, vegetables and that kind of thing.”
Donation amounts have ranged from $5 up to $2000, including one at the larger amount from comedian Celeste Barber.
There’s just one hurdle left that Denis needs to jump and that’s finding a new property to move into, which in the Gold Coast’s current tight rental market is no easy feat.
Ms Wernert said she has been calling property managers in a bid to find Denis a new home but had yet to find a property suitable and in his price bracket.
She said it was important to find Denis a property that is still affordable for when the money raised runs out and all he has is his pension.
“Denis is looking for one or two bedrooms, and under $350 per week would be ideal,” Ms Wernert said.
Other criteria that would be nice to have, include easy access to Gold Coast University Hospital and a ground or first level property as Denis can only manage a short flight of stairs.
If you’d like to donate to Denis’s GoFundMe campaign you can do so here.
Or, if you’re a landlord that can assist with a new rental property for Denis you can email Jamie Wernert at rentals@schmith.com.au.
