A woman’s terrifying experience of being crushed by a collapsed roof while she slept has drawn attention to the dire issues renters face in Australia’s housing crisis.
Melissa Ware, 49, from New Zealand, was visiting her sister on the Gold Coast last October when she awoke to a loud bang and an enormous weight pinning her to the bed. In the pitch-black room, she couldn’t see what was happening and began to panic.
She suffered head, neck, and back injuries that required pain medication and physiotherapy.
She now grapples with anxiety, nightmares, and hypervigilance in the wake of the incident.
A photo taken moments after the roof collapsed shows Ms Ware crying in pain as she lay on the bed covered in rubble, with only her head poking out from under the debris.
Her furious sister claims the cave-in could have been prevented if the landlord had signed off on much-needed repairs to the Hollywell home.
She had contacted the rental property manager eight months earlier about the cracking and sagging ceiling in the bedroom. A maintenance worker came in to provide a quote, but the issue was not addressed. Ms Ware’s sister said she had contacted Ray White and asked them what was happening, but they kept saying they were waiting for a response from the landlord.
After the roof collapsed on Ms Ware, the property was deemed unsafe, and they moved out soon.
The family claimed it was not the only time the roof had collapsed, with falling debris narrowly missing an elderly relative in February last year when they first reported the problem.
At that time, Queensland was being smashed by heavy rain and flooding, with numerous reports of ceilings collapsing at homes and businesses in the southeast.
Ray White Runaway Bay principal Ali Mian said the agency was sorry to hear of Ms Ware’s injuries. They discovered the issues with the ceiling during a routine inspection by the property manager and advised the landlord of the maintenance issue.
They had been waiting for instructions from the owner to engage a tradesperson. Mr. Mian said the owner was now undertaking a full repair and renovation of their property’s spare room.
According to Slater and Gordon Public Liability lawyer Peter Adams, the incident showcases what can happen if tenants’ concerns are neglected.
Ms Ware’s experience highlights the dire issues renters face in Australia’s housing crisis.
»Dire issues renters face in Australia’s housing crisis«
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