An influencer claimed she was kicked out of her apartment after she kept her dog in her place and didn’t tell her landlord about it.
In a video shared to TikTok earlier this month, Sophia, @sophiainsydney, explained why she had to move out of her place in Sydney, Australia, after living there for only “two weeks”. She also claimed she’d be paying $3,200 as a result of her eviction.
“I’m going to have to be forfeiting four weeks of rent because that’s what the breaking fee is when you leave a lease earlier than expected,” she claimed. “This building is very crazy, and they noticed I have a dog.”
Speaking to The Independent, Sophia opened up about the process of finding her apartment and how she was ultimately evicted.
“It’s very difficult with the rental market in Sydney right now because there seem to be a shortage of rentals (a high demand),” she said. “It is especially difficult to find a place that will allow a dog. It took me three weeks to find the apartment in Chippendale, New South Wales - and then after living there for two weeks, the security manager called the owner to let her know that I have a dog - when there are over 625 units in the apartment complex.”
In her TikTok video, Sophia also said that she has “$2,000 worth” of jewellery missing from her place and she believed her valuables were stolen by her movers. She went on to explain how difficult the “past few weeks” had been for her.
“I don’t think I want to go through this all over again, finding a place, losing more things,” Sophia said, with tears in her eyes. “But you know what, it’s life.”
The Los Angeles native also emphasised some of the challenges that come with studying abroad in the text over the video, writing: “This is how it looks when things get tough living in another country - away from your family.”
In the caption of the video, she appeared to address the error she made by not telling her landlord about her pet in the first place.
“These are all mistakes I’ve made,” she wrote. “And it’s life; you live and learn, but sometimes the pressure gets to be so much when there’s no break for the past six weeks.”
Speaking to The Independent, Sophia also revealed that she’s now found a new place for her and her pet to live.
As of 26 October, Sophia’s video has more than 92,000 views, with many TikTok users in the comments showing her their support.
“Sorry this has happened [Sophia], although it’s hard right now, you appear to thrive here! You’ll find the right pet friendly place!” one wrote.
“Really sorry to hear this,” another added. “Losing items and money is never easy no matter how much it is. Fingers crossed finding your next, safer place.”
A third person said: “You’ve got this lovely girl. I moved to Australia from England and things can get so challenging but look how far you’ve come. Better days ahead.”
Other viewers criticised the influencer and questioned her about why she didn’t mention her dog when signing the lease.
“You created this situation unfortunately,” one person commented, while another asked: “Did you not have to put down that you have a dog on the application form?”
In another video shared to her TikTok, Sophia poked fun at her claims about being evicted. The clip also features Taylor Swift’s newest song, “Anti-Hero,” with Sophia mouthing the chorus: “It’s me/Hi/I’m the problem, it’s me.”
“When the rental market is so ridiculous in SYDNEY, so that you don’t declare your dog,” she wrote in the text over the video. “And then you are forced to move out cause you have a dog.”
She also addressed her sense of humour about the situation in the caption of her post, writing: “At least now I can joke about it.. life has been ruff lately.”
The Independent has contacted Sophia for comment.
