A Newcastle family say they have been forced to sleep in one bedroom after a rental arrangement descended into chaos.
Skye and Min rented two spare bedrooms to Katrina Steadman, her partner David and their adult son nearly two years ago, hoping the extra income would ease the financial pressure on their young family.
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The couple allege the tenants have since stopped paying rent and refused to leave, despite being ordered to vacate the property.
“I admit I had made a huge mistake,” Skye told A Current Affair.
Skye and Min had moved their family from Vietnam to Australia before renting rooms in their home near Newcastle.
“We rented rooms for them but they live upstairs. So we rarely have interaction or communication with them,” Skye said.
When the couple bought another home four months ago, Katrina allegedly pleaded to move with them.
“When we decided to move into the new house, they said they have nowhere to go and they will respect the rules of the house,” Skye said.
The tenants moved into the new property alongside Skye’s mother and the couple’s three children, including toddler twins.
However, Skye said the relationship deteriorated following a disagreement over a power bill.
“Recently, they explode because of just the utility bill,” she said.
The family recorded footage of an expletive-laden confrontation after friend Nicole Fairhall came to the house to mediate.
“The whole family is sleeping in Skye’s bedroom. The mum, the three kids, the husband and Skye, because they’re so scared in their own house,” Nicole said.
The conflict allegedly turned physical when Katrina confronted Min in the kitchen and grabbed him by the neck.
“She approached me, hit me and choked my neck,” Min said.
Police arrested Katrina and charged her with common assault and stalking or intimidation. The charges remain before the courts.
A Current Affair reported that a domestic violence order is now in place preventing Katrina from speaking to or harassing Min.
When approached by the program, Katrina claimed the confrontation occurred after Min had “got rid” of her food.
She declined to answer further questions and told the reporter to leave.
“The way she slammed the door, the way she screamed and the way she, like, verbally threatened you, that makes you become terrified all the time,” Skye said.
The NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal ordered the tenants to vacate the property by last Friday.
They had not left by the time the report went to air.