Santa Claus of the rental crisis
It was distressing to read (Echo, December 13) about the alleged abuses wrought by a tenant (not a landlord for a change!) who was ‘sharing’ his rented premises with a rather large amount of people for what would seem to be exorbitant rent. Supposedly he feels he is justified in receiving $1,000/week from co-tenants for a property he is leasing. It would seem, if Byron Shire Council was correct in reporting there were 19 people staying there, he is actually receiving much more than that.
At a time when ‘affordable housing’ is the catch-cry for a boom in new granny flats and studios blooming throughout the Shire – with a huge reduction in fees to council but apparently no strictures that these are actually rented at affordable rates – it is disgusting to hear it reported that this individual was actually bleating on about his wonderful ‘hospitality’ in providing homes to the ‘local, young 20-something-years-old people’. Apparently, this man has rented a house and then taken it upon himself to cram in way over the eight people he claims he is allowed to have on the premises out of the goodness of his heart and concern for their ‘safety’.
When he does finally have time to appear in court to answer the charges, I’d love to hear the facts about just what this Santa Claus of the rental crisis is doing. Please keep us informed.
Trude Helm, Byron Bay
Goodbye to Berlin
Well, I never thought I would read a comparson of Byron Bay versus Berlin! (Letters, Decmber 13.)
Maybe, Richard, if clean air, clean water, great community, country living, fresh food from farmers markets, amazing flora and fauna, incredible beaches and surf – I could go on and on – were as important to you as fashion, gym memberships, alcohol prices and internet downloads and LED screens, then a comparison to Berlin is highly unlikely.
Your comparison seems symptomatic of all that’s wrong with the western world. I suspect you want to get many Byron locals swanning off to Berlin based on what you say it has to offer.
Vince Sherry, Myocum
