i blogged some time ago about the landlord of the property we live on. a DT friend asked me about him so i thought i'd write a follow up blog on it.

so the story so far is that he lives right next door and is hankering for us to move out of the house we have been renovating/rebuilding and are currently living in at a rapidly increasing weekly rental. the same one we moved into on the verbal understanding that the lease would be for ever, included the building of a freestanding shed and without interuption just over three years ago.

one thing is clear – he wants us out and there have been a number of reasons given by him as well as substantial pressure applied for us to find alternative accomodation (think persistent phone calls; yelling over the fence; putting our animals at risk; material sabotage) over quite a while now.

some reasons given of why he wants us out:

• because he cannot stand the dust from the road and/or holiday maker and log truck traffic – we live on an unsealed road through a national park to the beach
• because he cannot stand the rats and wildlife (he has previously said he loves nature and does not mow around his house or yard in order to encourage it and throws food over his fence for the birds but chases away kangaroos with a vengence – compulsively one might say – he beat one to death)
  
• so he can sell up and move to the city to be close to his family (who tried to put him in the mad house (his words) leading him to run away here 15 or so years ago).
  
• because he has a brain tumor and needs to be closer to medical aid
  
• because he keeps stubbing his toes at his place and needs to move into the house himself
  
• because his step father needed him to care for him in the city or here, in this house
  
• because the govt rates charged on the property and other homeowner costs such as fire insurance are too high
  

the latest approach was delivered to us just days ago. tah dah. apparently now the local council want to purchase the full property (which includes significant forest swampland), demolish both dwellings and turn it into part of a larger wetlands land reclamation project in the area with the price to be agreed within the next three months.

not immediately panicking on the outside – going to check out a few details like whether the council do indeed intend to purchase this property; if so, that they are in fact "reclaiming" homes (effectively making us homeless) when Australia lacks adequate rental housing; will also get some tenant advocacy advice.

it really freaks me out on the inside when he springs a new "issue" on us so to speak. i don't feel that i can relax. i don't feel safe.

there's more to say on this but i'll blog it out seperately.