The national rental squeeze has led to grandparents Deb and Philip Barker spending the cold winter nights in a caravan parked in their own driveway.
They have chosen to live in the van to give their daughter and her family a chance to put a roof over their heads amid the rental shortage crippling the community of Manjimup, in Western Australia's South West.
Mrs Barker said her daughter, son-in-law and their four children were renting a property in Manjimup when it was sold.
"The rentals are in such a shortage – and the expense of them – that they would have to move from Manjimup," she said.
"So my husband and I decided we couldn't have them either on the streets, or put into a financial position where they're going to be struggling.
"So we thought if we purchased a caravan, hopefully we all can live together for the short-term."
She said the rental market was the worst she had ever experienced in the forestry town of 5,000.
"There's a shortage, really, it seems like they can charge you whatever they want," she said.
"You've got more and more people in positions like my daughter and her family, where the rent has been put up to a point where they're not going to be able to buy extra food."
Her daughter Rachel Fitzpatrick said it was great to be supported by her family, but being forced to move back in with her parents was less than ideal.
"It's very stressful and disheartening," she said.
"We can't see that little bit of light at the end of the tunnel at the moment."
'No compassion' from neighbour
The Barker’s solution became more complicated when an anonymous neighbour complained to the council.
"People haven't obviously got anything better to do — no compassion from whoever dobbed us in to the shire," Mrs Barker said.
In Western Australia it is illegal to stay in a caravan on your property for more than three nights in a month.
The Shire of Manjimup advised the family that they could apply for a three-month permit to stay in a caravan, which it has now approved.
"The shire has been really fantastic as far as understanding what is happening with the housing market in general," Mrs Barker said.
But the shire did ask for the caravan to be moved to the backyard to address amenity concerns, which will require the carport's roof to be removed.
WA Local Government Minister John Carey has the power to approve a 12-month permit to live in a caravan and the Barkers are actively exploring that avenue.
"My biggest thing from this would be to make people aware that there is the opportunity to get some permits," Mrs Barker said.
"I can only hope that it's helpful to other people, because it's a sad situation for families — it must be heartbreaking."
'Atrocious and greedy'
Mrs Fitzpatrick said she had looked as far afield as Geraldton – seven-and-a-half hours away – in her search for an affordable rental.
"It's all the same everywhere," she said.
"The price that they're able to put on these properties is atrocious and greedy.
"I want people who do have investment properties to think about the people that don't have a stable home, that are actively looking.
"Sometimes it's not all about the money."
Mrs Fitzpatrick said she and her husband were looking at purchasing property, but were running into similar affordability issues.
"My husband, he's working away trying to provide for his family and get a permanent roof over myself and our children," she said.
"We don't know where or when that's going to happen."
