This is one of the worst rental crises in known history. Renters are usually not treated very well, but in this housing shortage crises, businesses like this one mentioned should be shut down and have their licenses revoked permanently. 

This agency has reviews which show how horribly they have treated tenants. Ranging from verbal abuse, manipulation and lies, to owners who have been threatened for wanting to switch property managers, to poisoning a dog, confronting a tenant at their place of work after the tenancy ended and writing purposefully harmful reviews on ex tenant’s google maps workplace sites. The now deleted (but accessible via the link below) replies from Rental Trends show they have named and shamed those who dared to speak up and write a review against their practices.

The now deleted Rental Trends replies can be found here on a web history archive, they show years of this agency ignoring and breaching the Privacy Act and listing their ex tenants names in full, in retaliation for their review: 

https://web.archive.org/web/20220816082128/https://au.trustpilot.com/review/www.rentaltrends.com.au

If you move forward to October 24th, 2022, you can see more reviews added by clients. 

Hundreds of comments here on reddit with outrageous experiences listed here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/brisbane/comments/y9fcgx/rental_agency_replying_online_reviews_by_naming/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf

Real Estate agents are not able to use the information from tenant’s application outside of the intended purpose, which is to obtain a rental property.

Taking advantage of those in need, having a ‘business model’ that means trying to take a portion, if not all, of every tenants bond regardless of condition of property being in a better condition, threatening and abusive tactics to get the bond money and rude communications during the tenancy need to stop.

This is not ‘normal’ renter treatment. This is using the power they think they have to gain funds for the owners, who seemingly turn a blind eye and encourage this behavior to ‘claim’ the bond money. The Trustpilot reviews have been there for years and outline a pattern of behavior that is seen to be more abusive than written here, to those brave enough to warn others.

Which begs the question – why hasn’t anything been done by the government to shut down businesses like this who blatantly and repeatedly go above what should be allowed?

Fair Trade office are unable to help. The Real Estate Industry is unregulated. Ombudsman, Privacy Commissioner, QSTARS, also seemingly unable to help and have been contacted regarding this issue.

It is nearly impossible to revoke a Real Estate License of any business or agent. Cases are seen at QCAT on an individual basis, the Real Estate is then free to rent to others with little to no punishment. The cases do not stack up in a cumulative fashion to a maximum amount of hearing reached each year. The agents can claim as many bonds as they want, however they want, without anyone checking if they are doing the right thing.

The system set in place to ‘help’ isn’t helping. Renters, decent owners, friends and family of renters need to band together to stop this continued mistreatment. There is literally no other way.

Shut down Rental Trends and lets make a start to show the entire Real Estate Industry we will not put up with mistreatment any longer. Make revoking licenses easier to stop these agencies being ‘responsible’ for peoples living arrangement- literally their entire living situation could be jeopardized in addition to employment stability if left with agencies like this one. Tenants may not be ever able to rent again if they have bad references made against them for little to no reason by agencies like this. Making more people homeless in this situation is not the answer.

“You are not suitable to hold a real estate license if you, under Serious Offences (a serious offence is anything punishable by 3 or more years in prison), violent offences including threats to use violence, fraud and dishonesty, extortion, unlawful stalking” https://www.qld.gov.au/law/laws-regulated-industries-and-accountability/queensland-laws-and-regulations/regulated-industries-and-licensing/regulated-industries-licensing-and-legislation/property-industry-regulation/get-a-property-industry-licence-or-registration/real-estate-agent-licence-or-registration/apply-for-a-real-estate-agent-licence Real Estate Licence or registration. “Also considered as unsuitable to hold a Real Estate Licence because of your character or the character of your business associates, are incapable of satisfactorily doing the job of a licensee.”

This petition seeks to:

-REVOKE the following Licenses permanently: 

Ann Absolon – 

Greg Paddle – 

Sarah Camillo - 

Aimee Sharman -  (listed as Amiee Sharman)

-CANCEL the ABN of Property 1301 Pty Ltd T/A Rental Trends so no further mistreatment of tenants occurs

Rental Trends – ABN 65 145 045 558  ACN 145 045 558

-RELOCATE the current Rental Trends/Property 1301 IP client list to other reputable agencies and owners educated as to the fair and equitable treatment of renters.