Pregnant, alone, and living in housing that did not meet minimal rental standards, Lizzy* worried about the health and safety of her unborn child.
“The house was falling apart,” Lizzy says of the rundown private rental property.
“The front door wouldn’t shut or lock. I had to use a chair to prop it shut. Areas of the ceiling looked as if they were about to cave in … broken windows … gaps in the flooring which allowed pests to come into the house. There was no heating or cooling, and black mould all through the bathroom.”
Lizzy’s landlord refused to make any repairs, despite her repeated requests.
“I didn’t have a very nice landlord. He would often show up without notice. When I requested maintenance, he wouldn’t action the request. He was very intimidating.”
When Lizzy’s disability support worker began to advocate on her behalf, Lizzy’s landlord told her to move out of the property.
“No communication was provided to me in writing, the Notice To Vacate issued was verbal,” she says.
“I was also left with a considerable amount of rubbish on the property that wasn’t mine.”
Lizzy, who relies on a single disability pension and lives with an intellectual disability, faced significant barriers to securing another rental.
“I struggled with rental applications as I had difficulty understanding the paperwork and process. It was overwhelming [and] I didn’t have any rental references.
“It was very stressful and isolating. I was worried and felt hopeless at one point as it felt like I wouldn’t have a home before I was due to have my baby.
“I felt like I had to do it all on my own and had accepted that I might end up homeless – couch surfing or rough sleeping.”
Concerned about Lizzy’s housing situation, her disability support worker connected her with Uniting.
“I had an amazing [Uniting] worker, who did a lot of advocating for me and pushed for housing and other supports to come on board,” says Lizzy.
“I felt a huge amount of relief knowing that I would have a roof over my head, a safe place to live. I was finally able to set up and prepare for the birth of my first child.”
Uniting supported Lizzy to gain confidence, develop everyday life skills, and build a strong support network so she and her child could thrive.
“It was the best thing I have ever done, reaching out for support from Uniting,” she shares. “I am now working and am more financially stable.”
“My life and living skills have improved as well. I have my daughter in my care, and we have been able to make positive connections within the community, friends, engage with services, do activities such as kinder, gym and swimming.
“I have been able to focus on being a mum. I feel more positive and excited about the future.”
Lizzy* has bravely shared her story. Details such as her name and image have been changed to protect her identity.
