A landlord's attempt to claim a significant break lease fee from a tenant who has been missing for nearly two months has been rejected by the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal. Katie Walker, 46, a British-born mother of two whose former jewelry company was featured in British Vogue, disappeared in May.
Walker was last seen on CCTV walking down Alexander Street in Tamarama, Sydney, on May 23. She was wearing high-heeled boots, jeans, a black coat, and carrying a red Versace handbag. Nine days later, her father in the UK and her Australian ex-partner realized no one had heard from her, and she was reported missing on June 2. Police issued a missing persons notice two days later.
Investigators have a leading theory that Walker walked down to the Bondi to Coogee coastal walk, a popular tourist route, climbed over rocks, and entered the ocean. However, her family and friends question this theory, pointing out that her phone pinged at a Bondi Beach cell tower at 7:40 p.m. on the day she disappeared, approximately six hours after she was last seen. Her phone has not pinged since, and she has not been seen.
Property Dispute
On Tuesday, the owner of Walker's Darling Point rental property, Georgia Rose Ellis, sought to have the lease terminated at the tribunal. The owner's representative, Jasmin Markham, informed the tribunal that Walker's father had traveled from the UK, entered the apartment to retrieve his daughter's possessions, paid rent through June 23, and returned the keys to the agency.
Markham requested the lease termination to allow the property to be re-marketed. The tribunal member noted that rent was paid, the property was vacant, and the keys had been returned. When the break lease fee of approximately $4,000 was mentioned, the tribunal member stated, "There's no break lease fee - she didn't break the lease, she's gone missing. I'm not prepared to make that order for a tenant who's been missing for six weeks and the landlord has possession." The agency was then granted permission to relist the unit.
Background and Transition
Walker, who moved back to Sydney in February after her marriage broke down, was reportedly trying to reconnect with her two teenage children. According to a friend, Walker was experiencing "relocation stress" but was otherwise "very optimistic" about the transition. She had lived in Sydney for over 10 years before moving to the US.
Walker's friends and family have expressed difficulty reconciling the police theory with their understanding of her. They also question how she could have disappeared in a busy tourist area without anyone witnessing the event. Her father has reportedly hired a private investigator.
Walker is described as slim, with brown eyes, long brown hair, approximately 172cm tall, and has a small black butterfly tattoo on her right hand. Police urge anyone with information to contact them. Lifeline can be reached at 13 11 14 for those affected by this story.