Not long before that, the oven and cooktop gave in and I was a whole month without cooking facilities.

In the six years I was in the flat, my rent had risen from $300 to $415 a week. Some of this reflected the market, but increasingly the condition of the flat did not reflect the rent.

So I became more assertive.

Deterred by years of inactive and unresponsive property managers, I became louder, more frequent, and firmer in my requests.

At this point it became clear just how unwilling the owner of the flat was to commit to any of these basic repairs.

After three months of soggy and ruined food, I finally asked for a rent reduction. No response.

So, I asked for compensation. No response.

Then, a termination notice.

I'd been a reliable tenant for six years. I am a university postgraduate with a steady job. I have lived and worked and rented in four countries, but this notice terrified me.

The notice explained that the flat had been sold. It seemed to me that the owner would rather make a quick buck than deal with my requests.

I received the absolute minimum 30 days' notice to vacate.

The property was bought without being viewed, so I even missed out on the extra 14 days' notice of intention to sell.

I needed help, so I decided to contact the Hunter Tenants Advice and Advocacy Service. The service gives advice on all types of tenancy matters, but currently about 50 per cent of their calls are from people facing eviction.

They were so overloaded it was difficult to reach them by phone, so I went to their office in person, where it was explained that they are a phone-based service only.

Despite this, they were helpful and crucial to me working out a plan of action. If only they had the resources to help everyone who called.

Then came the search and application process. To apply for most rentals the applicant must view the property first.

While there are some open houses, many listings require applicants to request a viewing. When viewing spots became available, they were gone within minutes.

Notifications and the capacity to respond immediately became crucial. I still can't count the number of places I requested a time to view but never heard back.

I had never searched for my own rental so I had to learn quickly how the systems worked.

I navigated a range of digital systems, some simple, some clunky and laborious.

I also came across some agencies that didn't accept digital applications at all.

One morning, after a weekend preparing a thick folder of documentation, I went searching for the real estate office to hand in my application.

There was no sign of the office at the address, which appeared to be in the middle of a residential area.

I felt like I had been well and truly punked.

But giving up wasn't an option.

In October last year an Equity Economics Report predicted that homelessness in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie could increase by 40 per cent by June this year.

With recent news that local crisis services are reporting calls for help 26 per cent above their capacity, their prediction has already come true.

Then come the glowing reports of a 'hot market' which has seen local house prices rise by 3.9 per cent.

But who was living in these places?

How many reliable renters have been squeezed out by new owners?

How many are now competing with those in housing stress for limited short-term accommodation?

And how many face the rising rents that follow such a boom?

Luckily for me there is a happy ending.

I found a fantastic place after applying for 13 (and requesting to view many more), thanks to a helpful agent who was aware of my experience with the owner of my old flat.

Many more have not been so lucky.

The search is all-consuming and, on top of the stress, requires people to push everything else to the side to keep up.

In all the excitement of a booming property market, federal, NSW and local governments need to remember all those renters, social housing tenants, homeless people and the agencies who support them.

They're doing it hard.

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