‘Get a real job’: Influencer’s rent crisis roasted

Bella Varelis forged a career as an influencer after coming second place on Network 10’s eighth season of The Bachelor in 2020.

But after the 28-year-old revealed she had to leave her two-bed unit in Sydney’s swanky Vaucluse when her landlord increased the rent by $400 per week, she’s now copping heat from frustrated Aussies.

On social media, many claim Bella – who regularly shows off her designer purchases on Instagram – could easily have afforded her rental increase if she reduced unnecessary expenditure.

Others expressed their lack of sympathy after she posted a string of snaps from inside her new apartment that showed off her designer furniture and belongings.

A post detailing Bella’s plight, which saw her rent hiked by $400 a week to $1150 a week, shared by fan account Influencer Updates AU has been flooded with cutting remarks.

“Maybe she should get a real job?” one user wrote.

“Feed full of designer bags as if she’s rich but then can’t even afford the rent,” another said.

As another stated: “I’m confused by influencers who flaunt going on holidays and their Dior bags… complaining about rent increase. Thought it would be a breeze for them to pay but I guess even 100k followers doesn’t mean $$.”

Bella’s financial struggle, which is being felt by Aussies everywhere, was made public when she took to Instagram Stories to complain about her landlord allegedly neglecting to fix basic faults.

“Not moving out because I want to, but my owner never fixed anything in this place and then tried to put the rent up by $400 a week so it was a hard no for me,” she claimed on Sunday.

“The only good thing about this place was the view.

“The dishwasher was broken, fly screens were broken, top lock on the door was broken, oven had no symbols on the dials for temperature, the balcony door never closed properly.

“Was actually horrible but it served a purpose in my life for the last year.”

These issues weren’t enough to convince everyone of her struggles, with some mocking the apparent lack of severity.

“Wow I can’t believe her oven had no symbols, pure torture,” one teased.

“She could live out west within her means not many people even without this inflation prior could afford Vaucluse,” another added.

However, there was also plenty of support for Bella, with many labelling the current rental crisis “a joke”.

“No one is immune from the cost of living crisis and rental crisis, we are all suffering right now. Those prices are absolutely insane and abhorrent,” one said.

“I feel for her. Moving environments unexpectedly is pretty rattling to the nervous system,” another agreed.

As one argued: “Rental increases are so bad! It’s shocking that the government doesn’t care or put caps on increases.”

Bella has since updated her 109,000 followers on her move, explaining while her new apartment “doesn’t feel like home”, she’s “grateful” for all the help she’s received from loved ones.

She also shared several snaps from inside her new unit, one showing off her loungeroom which was decked out with an expensive stone coffee table that retails for $400.

There was also a wave-shaped designer mirror worth almost $800 and a $1000 Dyson air purifier located nearby.