Orange mum Marie O'Brien calls out landlord on rent increase after daughter's cancer diagnosis

Back in January, Marie O'Brien was told that her five-year-old girl had Wilms' Tumour, a childhood cancer which spread to her lungs and liver.

Once the diagnosis was confirmed, both Ms O'Brien and her daughter were taken to Sydney Children's Hospital in Randwick which is where they stayed for the next four months.

"It was an emotional rollercoaster," the mum said.

"I was shocked. It was really hard to process getting told that your kid is so unwell."

Two weeks ago, the pair finally reunited with the rest of their family after doctors gave Ms O'Brien's daughter the all-clear to return home. While the battle was far from over, it was a step in the right direction.

But just before they were given that good news, Ms O'Brien was informed that from June, when her lease agreement ran out, the rent on her home would be increasing from $480 a week, to $580.

"I'm pissed off," she said.

"I want to make a statement and ask people where do we draw that moral line.

"I'm working, studying and looking after a girl with cancer and we most likely have to leave a town I've been in for 20 years because of the greed of the home owners."

The previous year, Ms O'Brien's rent went up by $30 per week, good for a 28.88 per cent overall in that time.

"Where does a single mum, who has a sick kid, find an extra $100 a week," Ms O'Brien asked.

"It's not fair for anybody. I want (the landlords) to feel bad."

In NSW, rent can only be increased once in a 12 month period after the minimum 60 day written notice is given to the tenant.

A tenant can apply to the tribunal within 30 days of receiving the rent increase notice if they believe the rent increase is excessive. However, there is no specific limit to how much landlords are allowed to increase the rent by in NSW.

Ms O'Brien said something needs to be done so that other people like her don't suffer the same fate.

"Does legislation have to change so that people feel safe," she said.

"I can't be quiet about this, because it's not just me. Maybe other people will come forward and maybe it will be the start of creating some change.

"I feel justified saying that this is not okay. It's just greed."

According to the ACT Government, an excessive rental increase is generally considered to be 10 per cent more than the Consumer Price Index (CPI) growth, aka inflation.

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