Jordan van den Berg, also known as Purplepingers, has been threatened with legal action after posting an email from a property manager calling the Christmas period “eviction season”.
Van den Berg shared an Instagram message he received from Professionals Taylors Lakes that demanded he “remove all screenshots” of the email, saying if he didn’t they would “take the matter further as a serious case of injurious falsehood”.
“If you’re not happy with the rules that govern leases in Australia, then that is a problem that you need to raise through a different channel,” the message said.
“Please remove the screenshot of the email immediately. If not, I can take this matter further as a serious case on injurious falsehood.”
It came after van den Berg, and others, shared an email sent by the property manager on Monday. In it, they told renters not to “jeopardise” their living situations over the Christmas period.
“Christmas time is also known in property circles as ‘eviction season’ as so many people choose to use their rental payments for Christmas spending instead of ensuring that their family accommodation remains top priority over this period.
“We see so many tenants fall behind in their rent and then get into the position where they are not able to catch up, as this is their biggest financial obligation.”
The agency said they didn’t want the “unfortunate job” of evicting people over the Christmas period.
Van den Berg, a lawyer, said in a follow up video that legal action to remove the screenshots was baseless.
“That’s not correct, thats not what injurious falsehood is — that is lying about something,” he said.
“Reposting an email is not injurious falsehood unless they themselves lied in the email.”
In response to van den Berg sharing the message, many expressed shock online at the legal threats.
“I’m curious to know what Professionals Taylors Lakes expected would happen when they sent that email out in the first place. Did they stop and think how the email would be taken? Do they not understand how social media works,” one person wrote.
