Mother's 'lose-lose' dilemma after house targeted in Sydney shooting

A mother whose Western Sydney house was targeted in a shooting says she is scared to move her family back in but fears she may have no choice.

Rebecca, who requested anonymity out of fear of retaliation, originally moved out due to personal circumstances.

She put it on the rental market for financial reasons, while her family lived elsewhere.

Within months, her house was shot at earlier this year in what Rebecca believed to be a targeted attack on the tenant.

"I get there, the whole street was closed off, lots of police officers, turns out there was a shooting," she said.

Multiple shots were fired into the home causing thousands of dollars of damage to the property.

"I was devastated. I was really concerned about my neighbours,"

she said.

A drain on finances

In the aftermath, the tenants left and the mortgaged property has remained vacant for several months.

Rebecca said she paid about $20,000 for the repairs to the property and renovations, while dealing with rising interest rates and cost-of-living pressures.

She said the property had been draining her finances, leaving her about $5,500 per month out of pocket.

In NSW, a landlord or agent must not knowingly hide a material fact which might affect a tenant or prospective buyer's decision to sign an agreement.

This includes whether the property was the scene of a serious violent crime in the previous five years.

"I don't want to put anyone else at risk, so I wanted to give the house a break,"

she said.

Technically, she could lease out the property again, but Rebecca said she was advised the income generated would be about $200 less per week because of the shooting.

"If I sell it, I'm going to lose money. It's a lose-lose," she said.

"If I didn't have the kids, I'd sell it and wouldn't care. But it's their home."

A difficult choice

Rebecca said she felt forced to consider moving her family back into the property.

"It's been quite stressful. I do want to move in eventually, but we're all scared, but it's just sitting there,"

she said.

She worried the offenders might return, with recent mistaken identity shootings and so-called "disorganised crime" adding to her fears.

"I was also told that a lot of the time ... there's a chance that they [the shooter] will come back," Rebecca said.

Who to call?

Rebecca said her landlord insurance did not cover any expenses and the rental agency and the government did not provide any assistance.

"I don't know how I've made it this far ... I'm somehow surviving, just surviving."

She called for more support for home owners indirectly impacted by shootings and crime, as well as detailed updates from authorities to offer "some sort of peace of mind".

"I was never given information [from police]," she said.

"They were very, very discreet, which I understand, but as a home owner, I think that would have helped me because they never told me if they caught them."

The ABC contacted the police minister with questions about property crime and support for people in Rebecca's situation, but was referred to NSW Police.

Police confirmed an investigation was launched into the shooting, but no further police action was expected.

"Police appreciate the home owner's concern and understand her desire to be kept informed, particularly given the impact the incident has had on her property," a statement read.

However, they said detectives maintained contact with the tenants, who were the "directly affected parties and primary points of contact" subject to operational and privacy considerations.

Home owner rights

A Department of Communities and Justice spokesperson said the Victims Support Scheme "is not generally available for property damage" unless the home owner was present, with some exceptions for domestic violence situations.

The spokesperson said if Rebecca's property was deliberately damaged, she would be considered a victim of crime and entitled to be informed about the investigation's progress if she asked police.

Rebecca said she had contacted police multiple times.

An Insurance Council of Australia spokesperson said building and landlord policies generally cover physical damage or losses caused by malicious acts and accidents, although cover varies according to product disclosure statements.

"Owners should contact their insurer as early as possible if their property is damaged, and tell their insurer if it will be vacant, as some policies limit cover for unoccupied homes," they said.

Canstar data insights director Sally Tindall said landlord insurance might be void or affected if the home owner knew, or could reasonably have been expected to know, about circumstances that contributed to the damage.

"For investors, specialised landlord insurance can also potentially cover loss of rent if the shooting means the property is temporarily uninhabitable," Ms Tindall said.

"However, we're not aware of any policies that compensate for loss of rental income due to bad reputation or difficulty finding new tenants afterwards."

Some landlord policies specifically mention malicious damage must be caused by a tenant or their guest.

Non-fatal shootings in Sydney

According to the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR), between July 2025 and June 2026 there were 44 recorded offences involving property shootings.

BOCSAR data also shows the highest number of non-fatal shootings, including offences involving shooting with or without intent to murder, discharging a firearm into premises and unlawfully discharging a firearm, occurred in Sydney's west during the past five years.