Warrnambool mother forced to split up family to provide roofs over their heads

The mother, who wished to remain anonymous, said her two children and two teenaged dependents were living across multiple homes in Warrnambool and Port Fairy after they were asked to leave their last rental property due to it being sold.

The woman said the four children were fortunate to be living with relatives as she couch-surfed between the properties in order to keep a roof over their heads.

"I work over 50 hours a week and then I divide my time between the kids," she told The Standard.

"I basically go to the house where the child who needs me the most is."

Recent coronavirus restrictions meant the mother was forced to pick a single child to spend lockdown with.

"No parent should have to chose between their kids," she said.

"It's absolutely gut-wrenching."

The family's dire living situation has lasted more than two months with no end in sight.

The mother, who works two jobs and can afford to rent a four bedroom home, said the family had a good long-term rental history and character references but they'd applied for over 40 houses without any luck.

"We've only inspected seven of those 40 houses so we're not even getting to the position where they might meet us face-to-face," she said.

"We're just getting rejection after rejection".

The mother said she just wanted her family back together.

"I'll sleep on the couch long-term if it means the kids have bedrooms and we're all under the same roof," she said.

"It's been horrible having to explain to your children that they can't come home. I just want us to all be a family and be safe."

The woman said she felt like she was failing her children.

"It's really horrible being a mum who can't even keep her family together," she said.

"It's really degrading."

Community development coordinator for Anglicare Victoria South West Louise Serra said families were in crisis and she urged home owners to lease their properties to long-term tenants rather than as short-term holiday accommodation.

She said the family's story was one of many she had heard during the region's housing crisis.

"This region has people with a perfect rental history who are still being turned away and being left stranded without a permanent home," Ms Serra said.

"We have people who are in the (welfare/foster) system and some who aren't, that are going through this, it's quite a mixture."

Ms Serra urged home owners to have empathy.

"We are appealing for those listing Airbnbs to rethink their capacity to help families like this in crisis," she said.

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