A Melbourne renter says they were threatened with eviction after their property manager found out they were taking ADHD medication.
Sam (not their real name), who told PEDESTRIAN.TV they did not want to be named out of fear of repercussion, said they got slapped with an eviction notice following an inspection in which the property manager asked about bottles of medicine.
“We get a call from our new property manager with the new estate agent introducing herself and telling us that we’re due for an inspection. We schedule it and she’s over two weeks later,” Sam said.
“I have ADHD and some other medical conditions that require a lot of medication, so I keep it on a shelf that’s at eye level near the fridge so I can see and remember it every morning.
“She says, ‘Wow, that’s a lot of medication, everything ok?’ I tell her we’re fine, I just have a lot of medical issues that need medication but I’m on top of it.”
Sam said she then proceeded to further enquire about the medicine, before taking photos of the room in a way that they believe she was actually taking photos of the bottles. They said they then received a phone call the next day telling them they were being kicked out.
“My partner just got a call from her and she told him that she’s spoken to the landlord and that he’s very unhappy to learn there is illicit drug use happening on the property and that he’s looking into his options for eviction, as keeping illicit drugs in the house is a breach of the lease,” they said.
“Where do we go from here? I’ve had a look but honestly I’m freaking out and I’m full of adrenaline and struggling to understand how the rules apply to our specific situation.”
They then said the property manager gave them the option to “leave amicably or be evicted”, even going as far offering a rental reference if they left quietly. Honestly, the nerve!
Sam shared the story to Reddit, with commenters saying they should challenge the notice and begin a written process straight away.
Another Redditor pointed out that such an eviction notice could breach anti-discrimination legislation, which in Victoria means a person cannot be evicted for disability reasons.
Others have suggested that, if the property manager did take photos of medicine bottles and shared these with the landlord, they may have breached the Privacy Act, which prevents sensitive information being shared.
Sam told P.TV they’re exploring their legal options, but for now remain in the property.
File this one to: property managers determined to give the profession an evil name. See also: the manager who made a tenant piss in a sink and this one who sent a text calling Christmas “eviction season”.
Either way, it’s clear Australia’s housing situation has a severe power imbalance if something as simple as taking prescribed pills puts people at risk losing their homes. Although the National Inquiry Into The Rental Crisis is slowly pushing forward on stronger renter’s rights, for some such change just can’t come soon enough.
