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  • Current: Citizen Science Photo Gallery

Citizen Science Photo Gallery

  • Ceiling caving in
  • Image of damaged washing machine
  • Image of damaged fly screen front door
  • Damaged outside stairs
  • Housing structural damage by bricks shifting
  • Damage to outside drain pipe and rust
  • Overgrown garden and house damage
  • Shed held up by a piece of wood
  • Paint and water damage around inside taps
  • Overgrown yard and broken stairs
  • Outside paint and window damage
  • I came back from an overseas trip and this mould was in my bedroom. I had to throw out some clothes and possessions, including furniture, that had also grown mould. This was a very cold rental property that had lots of condensation on interior windows in winter.
  • I came back from an overseas trip and this mould was in my bedroom. I had to throw out some clothes and possessions, including furniture, that had also grown mould. This was a very cold rental property that had lots of condensation on interior windows in winter.
  • I came back from an overseas trip and this mould was in my bedroom. I had to throw out some clothes and possessions, including furniture, that had also grown mould. This was a very cold rental property that had lots of condensation on interior windows in winter.
  • Broke the lease because the crack appeared in just about two months as the building was sinking. Leased out again the day after my lease expired.
  • Broke the lease because the crack appeared in just about two months as the building was sinking. Leased out again the day after my lease expired.
  • Broke the lease because the crack appeared in just about two months as the building was sinking. Leased out again the day after my lease expired.
  • Broke the lease because the crack appeared in just about two months as the building was sinking. Leased out again the day after my lease expired.
  • The external door doesn't fit the door frame. Due to the resulting gap and 'natural ventilation', the room temperature hovers around 10 degrees in winter, leading to condensation and considerable heat loss.
  • This has been the view from my bedroom for just over 3 years since I started renting my place. I noted on my initial condition report that the blind did not open. I have since mentioned it on a number of repair requests & showed it to my property manager at my latest inspection a couple of months ago. But I'm yet to get to look out of my window & let the sunlight in.
  • This is the windowsill that my landlord says doesn't have mould. In the winter, I have to wipe the condensation from the windows every morning to prevent more mould from forming.
  • This mould is inside the shower screen, it's permanent and had obviously been there a long time. I put contact paper on it to cover it up because it's so gross. There are rust spots in the bath, it was painted before but the paint had come off.
  • This mould is inside the shower screen, it's permanent and had obviously been there a long time. I put contact paper on it to cover it up because it's so gross. There are rust spots in the bath, it was painted before but the paint had come off.
  • There's an inch gap between the stove top and bench so good drops down the side. We've put a metal strip to stop this happening but it's still pretty gross.
  • Most of the 1950s kitchen cupboard doors don't close properly. They're also really sticky from the varnish that is on it.
  • Most of the 1950s kitchen cupboard doors don't close properly. They're also really sticky from the varnish that is on it.
  • I was at a friend's rental house for a Christmas event. As we chatted in the kitchen, I noticed that the oven had lost its dials, so that my friend was reduced to using a set of pliers (shown) to use the oven. I'm not sure if they had asked for repairs and not got them, or just decided it wasn't even worth trying.
  • For a lot of renters, creating a garden is a way of making a place feel like home - a small act of agency. These are photos from gardens I've made in two different rental properties. Ironically, in both cases I moved out within about a year, but it was still worth establishing a little productive plot.
  • For a lot of renters, creating a garden is a way of making a place feel like home - a small act of agency. These are photos from gardens I've made in two different rental properties. Ironically, in both cases I moved out within about a year, but it was still worth establishing a little productive plot.
  • Here you can see the wire that just runs loose from the socket in the laundry to power the bulb in the toilet.
  • The window screens on all of my windows look like this (except the kitchen, which has no screen. I've been asking 5 years for this to be fixed. Most recently I was told "You accepted the property in this condition so its not an urgent repair". There were mesh air vents in the windows which were completely rotten and open to the elements and a recent threat of taking them to VCAT got these fixed, but not the screens.
  • The front room that was obviously poorly extended at one stage. (Yes that’s the sky).
  • Ceiling leak with water damage and possibly mould. Leaks during rain and the layers of differently-aged damage imply it has been neglected for a long time.
  • Ceiling leak with water damage and possibly mould. Leaks during rain and the layers of differently-aged damage imply it has been neglected for a long time.
  • This water damage to the living room ceiling [from the apartment balcony above my place] occurred about 5 years ago, before I rented the property. It still hasn’t been fixed due to a non-resident dominated Body Corporate unwilling to fix spend money to external repairs to the building.
  • Big gouge in the brick/stone of the wall outside, and the salt damp on the opposite side of the wall inside.
  • Big gouge in the brick/stone of the wall outside, and the salt damp on the opposite side of the wall inside.
  • At some point in the past, this place had a pretty dodgy bay window extension and it leaked consistently. The windowsill was rotten in a few spots but apparently in this spot the conditions were perfect for a little mushroom to pop up. We got 3-4 mushrooms over the 2 years we were there.
  • My parents were visiting from overseas for three months. I needed to install the spray bum gun as they were not used to with toilet tissues. I paid the plumber $200 for installation and another $200 for removal.
  • We are a family of four who run an online retail business from home and home school our eldest son, due to his disability. Our lives became overtaken by the never ending maintenance and repair issues. Our health, both physical and mental was suffered greatly due to our landlord’s dishonesty and massive negligence in not maintaining the property, and also lack of duty of care to let us know about any mould issues before moving in. We have suffered personally, professionally and financially.
  • We are a family of four who run an online retail business from home and home school our eldest son, due to his disability. Our lives became overtaken by the never ending maintenance and repair issues. Our health, both physical and mental was suffered greatly due to our landlord’s dishonesty and massive negligence in not maintaining the property, and also lack of duty of care to let us know about any mould issues before moving in. We have suffered personally, professionally and financially.
  • We are a family of four who run an online retail business from home and home school our eldest son, due to his disability. Our lives became overtaken by the never ending maintenance and repair issues. Our health, both physical and mental was suffered greatly due to our landlord’s dishonesty and massive negligence in not maintaining the property, and also lack of duty of care to let us know about any mould issues before moving in. We have suffered personally, professionally and financially.
  • We are a family of four who run an online retail business from home and home school our eldest son, due to his disability. Our lives became overtaken by the never ending maintenance and repair issues. Our health, both physical and mental was suffered greatly due to our landlord’s dishonesty and massive negligence in not maintaining the property, and also lack of duty of care to let us know about any mould issues before moving in. We have suffered personally, professionally and financially.
  • We are a family of four who run an online retail business from home and home school our eldest son, due to his disability. Our lives became overtaken by the never ending maintenance and repair issues. Our health, both physical and mental was suffered greatly due to our landlord’s dishonesty and massive negligence in not maintaining the property, and also lack of duty of care to let us know about any mould issues before moving in. We have suffered personally, professionally and financially.
  • 'Safe' metal sheath safety screen
  • That should keep it in, and everything else out.
  • Don't mind the trip hazard
  • Drawers and cupboards weren't made to be closed
  • Hope that ceiling doesn't collapse in on you while you're sleeping
  • Railing and pillar disconnected from floor on front porch
  • Railing and pillar disconnected from floor on front porch
  • Door doesn't match up with door frame and lets light/air through
  • Daylight can be seen through gaps in the floorboards
  • Thank you for this project, I think it’s so important and so missing from the current rental conversations. My photos depict neglect. Each issue I have raised with my landlord and each issue has been badly 'patched' or summarily ignore. Yet the rent increases EVERY year; sadly however the conditions of the property do not improve. This is the unfair state of the private rental market in SA. Sure we have a place to live, but the quality just isn't there. This NEEDS change.
  • Thank you for this project, I think it’s so important and so missing from the current rental conversations. My photos depict neglect. Each issue I have raised with my landlord and each issue has been badly 'patched' or summarily ignore. Yet the rent increases EVERY year; sadly however the conditions of the property do not improve. This is the unfair state of the private rental market in SA. Sure we have a place to live, but the quality just isn't there. This NEEDS change.
  • Thank you for this project, I think it’s so important and so missing from the current rental conversations. My photos depict neglect. Each issue I have raised with my landlord and each issue has been badly 'patched' or summarily ignore. Yet the rent increases EVERY year; sadly however the conditions of the property do not improve. This is the unfair state of the private rental market in SA. Sure we have a place to live, but the quality just isn't there. This NEEDS change.
  • Thank you for this project, I think it’s so important and so missing from the current rental conversations. My photos depict neglect. Each issue I have raised with my landlord and each issue has been badly 'patched' or summarily ignore. Yet the rent increases EVERY year; sadly however the conditions of the property do not improve. This is the unfair state of the private rental market in SA. Sure we have a place to live, but the quality just isn't there. This NEEDS change.
  • Thank you for this project, I think it’s so important and so missing from the current rental conversations. My photos depict neglect. Each issue I have raised with my landlord and each issue has been badly 'patched' or summarily ignore. Yet the rent increases EVERY year; sadly however the conditions of the property do not improve. This is the unfair state of the private rental market in SA. Sure we have a place to live, but the quality just isn't there. This NEEDS change.
  • With no central heating or cooling and faulty exhaust fans, during cold and damp weather there is much condensation inside the windows. This inevitably leads to persistent mould build up -no matter how much you spray, scrub, clean. This is an environment where babies and young children have been living. On the rental inspection form the landlord notes "no mould". When I talk to him about the issue, he simply denies it. This is so wrong and I have no one to turn to about it!
  • With no central heating or cooling and faulty exhaust fans, during cold and damp weather there is much condensation inside the windows. This inevitably leads to persistent mould build up -no matter how much you spray, scrub, clean. This is an environment where babies and young children have been living. On the rental inspection form the landlord notes "no mould". When I talk to him about the issue, he simply denies it. This is so wrong and I have no one to turn to about it!
  • With no central heating or cooling and faulty exhaust fans, during cold and damp weather there is much condensation inside the windows. This inevitably leads to persistent mould build up -no matter how much you spray, scrub, clean. This is an environment where babies and young children have been living. On the rental inspection form the landlord notes "no mould". When I talk to him about the issue, he simply denies it. This is so wrong and I have no one to turn to about it!
  • I think these images speak for themselves. My family of 4 (including pre and primary school aged children) have lived here (renting) fora number of years. Every year I plead for at least an air conditioner to be installed (we suffer giant power bills running fans and heaters -to little effect). The house is freezing in winter, hot in summer. I have one family member with serious respiratory illness. None of this moves the landlord, he just continues to collect the rent, which is paid on time and in full.
  • I think these images speak for themselves. My family of 4 (including pre and primary school aged children) have lived here (renting) fora number of years. Every year I plead for at least an air conditioner to be installed (we suffer giant power bills running fans and heaters -to little effect). The house is freezing in winter, hot in summer. I have one family member with serious respiratory illness. None of this moves the landlord, he just continues to collect the rent, which is paid on time and in full.
  • I think these images speak for themselves. My family of 4 (including pre and primary school aged children) have lived here (renting) fora number of years. Every year I plead for at least an air conditioner to be installed (we suffer giant power bills running fans and heaters -to little effect). The house is freezing in winter, hot in summer. I have one family member with serious respiratory illness. None of this moves the landlord, he just continues to collect the rent, which is paid on time and in full.
  • I think these images speak for themselves. My family of 4 (including pre and primary school aged children) have lived here (renting) fora number of years. Every year I plead for at least an air conditioner to be installed (we suffer giant power bills running fans and heaters -to little effect). The house is freezing in winter, hot in summer. I have one family member with serious respiratory illness. None of this moves the landlord, he just continues to collect the rent, which is paid on time and in full.
  • I think these images speak for themselves. My family of 4 (including pre and primary school aged children) have lived here (renting) fora number of years. Every year I plead for at least an air conditioner to be installed (we suffer giant power bills running fans and heaters -to little effect). The house is freezing in winter, hot in summer. I have one family member with serious respiratory illness. None of this moves the landlord, he just continues to collect the rent, which is paid on time and in full.
  • My brother died of cancer in this rental flat. We were horrified. He paid $288 a week for this and paid for most renovations himself on a pension as he was frightened he would be asked to leave with nowhere to go. We didn't say anything at the time as he wanted to die at home.
  • My brother died of cancer in this rental flat. We were horrified. He paid $288 a week for this and paid for most renovations himself on a pension as he was frightened he would be asked to leave with nowhere to go. We didn't say anything at the time as he wanted to die at home.
  • My brother died of cancer in this rental flat. We were horrified. He paid $288 a week for this and paid for most renovations himself on a pension as he was frightened he would be asked to leave with nowhere to go. We didn't say anything at the time as he wanted to die at home.
  • While in lockdown I was not using my winter coat wardrobe. It was a sad shock to open it for spring cleaning and discover mould growing on my favourite leather shoes. I bet if my bedroom had a window the mould problem would be nowhere near as bad.
  • Water damage (a consequence of no ventilation in bathroom).
  • The air conditioner on the first day of the rental contract (after the air conditioner had apparently been professionally serviced
  • The air conditioner on the first day of the rental contract (after the air conditioner had apparently been professionally serviced.
  • I spent over a year telling my landlord that the toilet cistern had a leak and was making the walls go mouldy. I couldn't afford to rent anywhere else so this is how I dealt with it.
  • Photos show damage to internal walls, cupboards and window frame, and fungus growing from vent –from pipe water leak in above apartment; also condensation problem on window from lack of ventilation in apartment.
  • Photos show damage to internal walls, cupboards and window frame, and fungus growing from vent –from pipe water leak in above apartment; also condensation problem on window from lack of ventilation in apartment.
  • Photos show damage to internal walls, cupboards and window frame, and fungus growing from vent –from pipe water leak in above apartment; also condensation problem on window from lack of ventilation in apartment.
  • Photos show damage to internal walls, cupboards and window frame, and fungus growing from vent –from pipe water leak in above apartment; also condensation problem on window from lack of ventilation in apartment.
  • Photos show damage to internal walls, cupboards and window frame, and fungus growing from vent –from pipe water leak in above apartment; also condensation problem on window from lack of ventilation in apartment.
  • Features I noted of a few 1Bdr apartments that I inspected to rent in Melbourne, that still cost half of my income as a DSP recipient.
  • Features I noted of a few 1Bdr apartments that I inspected to rent in Melbourne, that still cost half of my income as a DSP recipient.
  • Features I noted of a few 1Bdr apartments that I inspected to rent in Melbourne, that still cost half of my income as a DSP recipient.
  • Features I noted of a few 1Bdr apartments that I inspected to rent in Melbourne, that still cost half of my income as a DSP recipient.
  • Features I noted of a few 1Bdr apartments that I inspected to rent in Melbourne, that still cost half of my income as a DSP recipient.
  • I reported this over a year ago. I've had 2 inspections since & no action on repairing it. This is my living room. I've been here 2.5years. Never missed a payment.
  • Quite a run down rental property, that needs renovation and care.
  • Quite a run down rental property, that needs renovation and care.
  • Quite a run down rental property, that needs renovation and care.
  • Quite a run down rental property, that needs renovation and care.
  • Quite a run down rental property, that needs renovation and care.
  • The 6 foot grow pit in our shed that the landlord promised to fill when we moved in which was over a year ago now.
  • Our landlord lived next door, after signing the lease/before moving in they knocked down their fence and our fence so they could build a swimming pool on their property. The house had heaps of holes punched in the walls, & this lightbulb fixture would leak water whenever it rained. Nothing was ever fixed. Before our lease ended they came over with no notice to threaten us, asking us to leave the property for no reason. Saying they would make it so we could never rent again. We did nothing wrong.
  • Our landlord lived next door, after signing the lease/before moving in they knocked down their fence and our fence so they could build a swimming pool on their property. The house had heaps of holes punched in the walls, & this lightbulb fixture would leak water whenever it rained. Nothing was ever fixed. Before our lease ended they came over with no notice to threaten us, asking us to leave the property for no reason. Saying they would make it so we could never rent again. We did nothing wrong.
  • We first notified the property manager of a roof leak after the first downpour when the roof dampened. Subsequent rain events would make it worse which we would also send email updates about. They told us their maintenance man found nothing wrong with it. After a particularly bad rain event, the walls started leaking too. Then they increased our rent.
  • We first notified the property manager of a roof leak after the first downpour when the roof dampened. Subsequent rain events would make it worse which we would also send email updates about. They told us their maintenance man found nothing wrong with it. After a particularly bad rain event, the walls started leaking too. Then they increased our rent.
  • Layered lino found just before floorboards rotted through.
  • Layered lino found just before floorboards rotted through.
  • This is from a sharehouseI lived in around 2012, I just came across these photos in a repair email I sent to our agent. The broken deck was pre-existing damage when we moved in. This was a sharehouse in Northcote, Victoria.
  • This is from a sharehouseI lived in around 2012, I just came across these photos in a repair email I sent to our agent. The broken deck was pre-existing damage when we moved in. This was a sharehouse in Northcote, Victoria.
  • Cracks on wall in community housing property (SA)
  • Cracks on ceiling and door frame in community housing property (SA)
  • Cracks around window in community housing property (SA)
  • Cracks in wall in community housing property (SA)
  • Cracks above door in community housing property (SA)

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  • Last updated: 19 Jan 2023

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