An estate agent's message to tenants about payments during the Christmas period has been branded ‘disgusting’ and ‘tone deaf’.
A tenant living on the Gold Coast in Australia shared a snap of the note on Reddit this week, which explained to the renters the estate agent’s hours of business during the holidays.
And the agent was pretty clear in explaining exactly what would be expected from tenants over the Christmas break - even going so far as to reel off several jokey ‘excuses’ that wouldn’t be accepted for late payments.
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After sharing its hours of operation, the note reads: "We will continue to receipt money daily and send money to the owners each week. Please note that the following excuses are not valid reasons for not paying rent over Christmas.”
The note writer then lists several tongue-in-cheek excuses including: “I spent all my money on presents”, “The reindeer ate my money”, “Santa Stole my money” and “I had to buy food for Santa and his reindeer and reindeer eat like horses".
The note was shared on Reddit last week, where users were left feeling than impressed with its tone.
One person said: “How dare they talk about an essential service like that and in the middle of a housing crisis too. We take your money and it’s sooo hilarious. Don’t you losers go spending your rent money on Christmas food. It’s disgusting.”
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Another wrote: “It’s tone deaf and not funny.”
Someone else commented: “As an ex property manager I find this the most unprofessional behaviour I have seen to date. Talk about not reading the room, considering the economic pressure most of are under at the moment.”
And a third said: “I am shocked that this is real and not satire.”
Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, Queensland tenants union's CEO Penny Carrsaid the agency’s message ‘doesn’t seem to be in the spirit of Christmas’.
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She said: "The costs of rents are spiralling at an all-time high, coupled with increases in the cost of living costs including energy. If the agency is concerned with the pressure the festive season will put on the tenants in the properties they manage, they would be better off to acknowledge it can be a difficult time, and provide links to charities (many provide Christmas lunch, hampers and/or presents for kids) and emergency relief agencies. The message doesn’t seem to be in the spirit of Christmas.”
Claire Reid