A real estate agent in Australia's Queensland has come under fire following an "unhinged" rant on social media.
It comes after a prospective renter in the city of Toowoomba asked a local Facebook group if others in the community had any experiences renting from PRD Real Estate.
Mitchell Betheras, a real estate agent from PRD, wrote "contact our office" on the post, claiming he was the "be-all and end-all in PRD property management".
"YOU were going to be my client but your Facebook post made me reconsider," Betheras wrote.
"I may have room... let me consider a little further."
The renter replied to ask if there was something offensive in his post to warrant such a response.
Betheras then claimed his agency's tenants wouldn't post on Facebook and that PRD doesn't operate on social media reckons.
In a thinly-veiled threat, he urged the tenant to vacate the property and said others would be happy to take their place.
"Not everyone's clearly as fussy as you," Betheras commented.
The renter hit back, questioning the "name calling" and "bizarre behaviour".
Another Toowoomba local chimed in, calling Betheras a "gutless coward" for "holding housing over someone's head".
But Betheras wasn't bothered, insisting it was "heaps of free publicity".
"You think I am on my own and cannot defend myself, I can," he wrote.
The Toowoomba local said they would "pull my properties tomorrow and have a word to John" from PRD Real Estate.
Betheras replied "are u a closet fag?"
Australian media contacted Betheras for more information, but he had no further comment.
Betheras later claimed he was "deeply sorry", thinking other people were "having a go at me professionally and personally".
One person forgave him on the post, but questioned his professionalism.
"Can PRD trust you to represent their brand after calling people names, using homophobic language and telling people to f- off?" they wrote.
"I think the answer is no. And for the safety of everyone you manage, it's time for you to go."
The Facebook post got attention as it was circulated on Reddit and Twitter/X by user Jordie van den Berg (@purplepingers), a renters' advocate.
Social media users slammed Betheras' comments.
One called the comments "unhinged".
"Someone needs to tell Mitch it's not 1985 anymore," a second person wrote.
"That real estate agent really thinks a lot of themself and is completely revolting," another said.
The PRD Real Estate website praises Betheras for his "quality advice and service".
The company claims he has "14-plus years experience" in real estate and is an "excellent choice when it comes to having someone manage your property as if it were his own".
All references to Betheras have since been deleted from PRD Real Estate's website.
