Like the majestic unicorn or mysterious Bigfoot, the “good landlord” is a mythical creature who’s existence has been speculated about for generations, but never confirmed.. until now! One homeowner in Perth has been dubbed with the coveted title after reports of how low they have consistently kept their rent.
It’s no secret that landlords have a bad reputation in Australia. And some would say this status is more than deserved.
In my opinion, when in a discussion about the poor quality of landlords, if someone says “not all landlords”, all I hear is an ear-piercing alarm. It’s like a guy saying “not all men” — an instant ick.
Now it comes to it, I don’t feel like parting with it
byu/RIPNightman inlotrmemes
But in the case of John Webb, it certainly seems that “not all landlords” rings true. Way to break the stereotype, John!
Webb, aged 90, is a retired farmer who has rented out his single storey two-bedroom apartment to his tenant Carl Tilney for well under $200 a week for more than 20 years.
Webb charges Tilney only $180 a week for the Albany property.
For comparison, the average rent in the same suburb is $350.
In an interview with the ABC Webb shared that the reason he keeps such a cheap rent is due to a willingness to help out his fellow human.
“In country communities, you look after each other … it’s a part of me,” the one-of-a-kind landlord said.
“Why shouldn’t we help each other? We shouldn’t have to live in cars and out in the streets.”
Webb’s tenant Tilney is a former builder, aged 60, who is on disability support pension due to his long-existing health problems that continue to plague him.
Tilney and his landlord get on spectacularly well, with him describing Webb as a “pretty good bloke” and “up there” in the running for the title of Australia’s best landlord.
“There’s no way I could afford anything else that’s around,” shared the tenant, in another depressing reminder of the state of Australia’s rental market.
“Otherwise I would be living in my car.”
For similar prices to what Webb charges, landlords in Melbourne have charged renters to live in a garage. Meanwhile in Sydney, the rental-hell capital of Australia, landlords have listed a garage for $70 more than what Tilney pays for his two-bedroom accommodation.
In the 23 years that Webb has rented his property to Tilney, he has only ever raised the weekly price once.
“Carl told me he was pushing uphill and I think he had hurt his back in the building game,” explained Webb.
“So I thought, well, perhaps I could keep the rent down as much as possible for him.”
What a champion. If only there were more like him around.
Webb does not use a real estate agent to communicate with Tilney, and hasn’t since shortly after he moved in.
Probably because while a good landlord is a rare creature, a good real estate agent is an imaginary one.
