A single mother whose rent doubled the day after Christmas has revealed the agent's cruel response when she asked for help.
Jakki Brooking, 28, was recently told that rent on the Perth estate she and son Levi have called home for the past six years would jump from $300 a week to $630 from January 1, after it added new owners had been sold.
The new rent was unaffordable, forcing the part-time nurse to look for alternative housing before the lease expired on January 1.
More than half of her income would have been eaten up by rent had she stayed, leaving little for other essential expenses, including her son's appointments due to his ADHD.
Desperate, an emotional Ms Brooking shared a heartbreaking video on TikTok, revealing she had applied for dozens of rental properties but was rejected for all of them, despite proof of a stable income.
Fearing that she and her son would become homeless, she recalled how she turned to her real estate agent as a last resort.
Jakki Brooking's struggle to find affordable housing has since gone viral worldwide
“Her response to that was that if I don't vacate the property by January 1, the new owners can take me to court,” Ms. Brooking explained as she fought back tears.
'I just don't know what to do right now. It's literally embarrassing.'
Ms Brooking previously paid a lower rent because the property was part of the National Rental Affordability Scheme, a federal government program designed to make housing more affordable for low-income households.
The new owners have decided to leave the scheme and place the house on the open rental market.
Earlier this week, Ms Brooking gave an update on her situation in a follow-up video in which she hit back at keyboard warriors and explained why she shared the images of herself at breaking point.
She and her son will accept an offer to move into a friend's guest room in the coming days.
Their dog and cat will be temporarily cared for by family and friends while the hunt for more permanent housing for up to $580 a week continues.
“I wasn't crying because I had to pay over $300 in rent, I was just crying because I was stressed. I don't have a place to live,” Ms. Brooking explained.
“I've been rejected for every home I've applied for.”
Jakki Brooking and her son will move into a friend's guest room in the coming days
She admitted that the coming weeks will be challenging despite having a roof over their heads.
She explained that she decided to open up about her ordeal to shed light on Australia's rental crisis.
The number of rental properties in Perth has increased by 19 percent in the past year.
The city also has the lowest vacancy rate of the capitals: 0.7 percent at the end of September 2023.
“There are so many other people in the same boat as me: living in cars, living in tents, couch surfing, so I thought it would be a good idea to shed some light on the situation,” Ms Brooking explained in her latest video . .
“If you're looking for a place to rent, I hope you find one.”
Ms Brooking's desperate search to find a home in Perth's tight rental market (pictured) continues
Mrs Brooking was inundated with messages of support and advice.
“You are shedding light on a situation of crisis for many individuals and the government needs to do better,” one viewer commented.
Another wrote: 'I would cry too if my rent went up and I didn't know where I would go with my kids AND pets.
A third wrote: 'I hope it works out for you! If there are enough bedrooms, have you thought about having a roommate? Wasting the rent?'