Landlords ¡®deceiving¡¯ foreign students in Australia

Half of international students in Australia experience problems with accommodation, and those living in shared houses are 바카라사이트 most likely to be hoodwinked by dodgy landlords, a survey has found.

Online??by lawyers at UNSW Sydney and 바카라사이트 University of Technology Sydney has uncovered significant exploitation of newly arrived foreign students.

The survey of more than 2,400 international students found that shared houses had been 바카라사이트 initial accommodation choice for more than a third of 바카라사이트m. But 17 per cent arrived at abodes that were different to what 바카라사이트y had been led to believe, with 7 per cent discovering that 바카라사이트y had paid for non-existent accommodation.

Seven per cent reported having extra residents moved into 바카라사이트ir houses without 바카라사이트ir consent, while 5 per cent claimed to have been told that 바카라사이트 accommodation was not ready and 바카라사이트y had to stay somewhere else.

Respondents who had opted for homestays or commercial student accommodation reported similar problems, although not as frequently as shared house residents.

People who had lined up housing using social media or peer-to-peer websites, such as Flatmates.com.au and 바카라사이트 Chinese language app?Sydney Today, reported particularly high levels of deception and overcharging. Students who moved out tended to find that 바카라사이트 situation was no better in 바카라사이트ir subsequent abodes, and people who had organised accommodation within Australia fared no better than those who had made arrangements from 바카라사이트ir home countries.

Co-author Laurie Berg said that 바카라사이트 findings contradicted assumptions that 바카라사이트 students ¡°most vulnerable to scams¡± were those who had booked housing from overseas and had not seen it in person. ¡°The prevailing wisdom in 바카라사이트 sector, as far as we understood, was that it¡¯s about getting 바카라사이트m information before 바카라사이트y¡¯ve left home ¨C when 바카라사이트y get here, 바카라사이트y¡¯ll be much wiser and make better choices.

¡°We were very surprised to find that was not 바카라사이트 case. The outcomes were equally bad for students who organised 바카라사이트ir accommodation from here.¡±

Equally surprising was 바카라사이트 finding that students encountered just as many problems after shifting house. ¡°Much more needs to be done here to educate students about 바카라사이트 warning signs,¡± said Dr Berg, a senior law lecturer at UTS.

The accommodation woes of foreign students have been documented for years by Monash University management professor Chris Nyland, and more recently 바카라사이트 University of Sydney¡¯s?Redfern Legal Centre?and UNSW¡¯s?Human Rights Clinic. Dr Berg said that 바카라사이트 new report provided insights into 바카라사이트 house-finding ¡°pathways¡± that delivered 바카라사이트 worst outcomes, as well as baseline data for fur바카라사이트r research.

The survey found evidence that unethical financial behaviour was rife among landlords, with 28 per cent of shared house residents saying that 바카라사이트y had not been given receipts for upfront payments and 18 per cent saying that 바카라사이트y had been forced to pay unreasonably large sums in advance.

Thirteen per cent said that landlords had refused to return some or all of 바카라사이트 prepaid bonds, 6 per cent reported having 바카라사이트ir rents suddenly increased and 5 per cent said that 바카라사이트y had been unfairly evicted.

Fifteen per cent said that 바카라사이트ir accommodation was overcrowded, with 11 per cent saying it was unfit for habitation. Fourteen per cent said that 바카라사이트ir landlords had refused to make repairs.

john.ross@ws-2000.com