What if I was to tell you the “biggest self storage company in Australia” has undetected systems that are DESIGNED to be easily activated to discriminate against the homeless.
Everyone in the business of dealing with the vulnerable and down-trodden knows the one truth that no one can say out load - many people who are homeless or in lower socio-economic conditions is not - how should we put it - as well "versed" in the legal system.
That's probably why they're in the position that they're in - in the first place - a little dose of ignorance.
Many companies - like Kennards like to pay lip service to "progressive" causes and most are ignored and eye-rolled as they deserve - something that was dreamt up by the marketing department to put a sticky uncomofrtable coat on what is essentailly a 100% profit motivated excercise.
And why shouldn't corporations chase profits? That's what a corporation does. Kennards Self Storage has a whole page about how they give dirty blankets to the community or whatever it is they do - what they don't show is how they systematically alter financial records and break their own terms of service CONSISTENTLY - and not because people break the rules... but because they question billing mistakes.
This is called retaliation.
Let me explain how it works.
Let's Start with the Facts
Every story has a beginning, middle and end - and before we get carried away with flourishes let's start with the facts - not to be a sob story but around 2 months ago I became homeless - this opened my eyes to just how unjust institutions are to the vulnerable - and how comfortable they feel stepping on those they believe are too weak to fight back or understand the games being played against them to benefit the few - with the full knowledge that they have no voice, even if the benefit of doing so is just a few extra dollars - every human being becoming just a number on a balance sheet.
This is beyond people "not caring" or "stigmatizing" - people have a right to have their opinion on people who don't fit in or don't have a home - who cares, we're not here to prosecute thought crime. This is deeper than that - this is a situation where a company like Kennards - while using its marketing dollars to "big note" themselves as these altruistic individuals - have billing systems that not only double bill individuals in homeless situations but then cover up these systematic erros - to the point of doing "fake evictions" and attempting to "shame transfer" on the most vulnerable individuals.
Sounds complicated?
Well as they say - the devil is in the details right?
Let's get started.
The Attack
On the 27th November Kennards sent me an email notifying me that my storage payment fee was declined. No biggie - I was ready to rectify it immediately until... I realised that the amount was wrong. Despite being in an agreement for a storage space of $119 a month - on top of the $85 security callout fee (long story) - they tacked on a small hidden charge... $25 for a lock cutting fee...
Except... I had paid for it all ready.
People (and companies make mistakes) - I replied to the email on the same day - saying simply "I would like to bring to your attention that I have already paid $25 for these services on 17th November."
Easy.
Small adjustments and that should be the end of it... right?
But Then I Realised I Was Wrong
After all this drama I started questioning Kennard and their image of being this lovey dovey care bear company that cares about the vulnerable.
I had come to store my items including a sleeping bag in the storage unit at which point I was told I couldn't sleep in the storage locker. Which is perfectly fine.
I understand they don't want the place looking "dirty and unkempt" for their corporate customers - which is what I thought the case was.
But actually the reason they don't want me to sleep in the storage locker inside a 24/7 secured building site away from the cold, elements and crazy people is not because they assume I am on drugs, or about to steal or other stigmatized reasons that homeless people have to endure every day (and Aboriginals/black people even more so).
No - the actual reason as they noted was:
"they let you know that sleeping/staying over in your storage space with us is prohibited for your own safety."
I am so grateful for Kennards for protecting the safety of the vulnerable community with their big hearts - and will be sure to inform the woman whom I have heard had gotten raped out int he street 2 days ago that Kennards is very concerned about her safety and wants to ensure she doesn't sleep in their storage space.
You get me?
Like who is buying this nonsense. You're better off just selling storage lockers and stop big noting yourself.
So... I get it. I'm homeless, maybe you've seen me walk in with bare feet. So you think I'm stupid right? And you think you can play these dirty corporate games with me, modify and falsify financial records, then when I raise the issue call the police and have me arrested at the tax payer's expense - oh and then if I have my mental health raised well I'll be medicated - nice move, I admire it - this is the counter move. Time to gather your flunkies and figure out how to make this look good.
The Crescendo
On the 5th December I walked into the storage space at Southport (where my keypad access was restricted... which is against the terms of their own agreement but we'll get to that later - but again what would a homeless person know about their rights).
But it got better - after raising the issue once again that I had raised in my email about the double charge (which their "system" - which conveniently double charged me apparently didn't receive - even though they'd receive every email afterwards) - I was informed that actually the charge wasn't a mistake (because how can Kennards make mistakes - it's the homeless that are stupid).
In fact I was informed that the statement attached to the double charge was not incorrect... but rather incomplete. I even got a "helpful" blue line crossed across the statement (pictured) that I was given in physical form.
You see - I'm a little confused homeless man - it wasn't that their statement was incorrect and it was double charged - no, no - you see it was just that it was "incomplete".
In fact we spent a good 40 minutes trying to figure out the difference between "incomplete" and "incorrect" - you see... if I pay Kennards and I'm short - my payment is incorrect.. but if they charge me a double payment... it's just that the statement was incomplete.
And if that's confusing to you - welcome to the world of mental ilness that the homeless experience every day as a result of dealing with front facing companies like Kennards who get to ride off into the sunset as the heroes of the "Community" with their black kids they help overseas (doing what - who knows).
You get it get?
The Opression Funnel is Activated
What people have to understand is that Kennards has two sides legally. The first is the legal side for those that know the law - and another side for the homeless.
The opression funnel is meant to bamboozle, confuse and disorient the homeless man by not making him aware of his rights - but what's worse in this case is that it was not just the standard game plan - no - Kennards did these corporate tricks and put the entire weight of the corporate system on my back for the crime of bringing up a billing discrepancy of a double charge.. and where it gets even more interesting is that they were willing to kick me out in the street with nothing (knowing I was homeless) for the crime of questioning their "system" - and then conspired at the highest levels to cover it up.
Want to see how this works, well here's a little appetite of the funnel steps.
