‘I’m not leaving’: Rochester renters sent eviction notices after floods are hitting back

At least 160 renters in the Victorian town of Rochester, whose homes have been destroyed by major flooding sweeping Australia's south-east, have now been served with eviction notices.

Most were evacuated during the massive weather event and remain in temporary accommodation where they have now been given 24 hours' notice to "vacate" their properties.

The owners of Pristine Property Management, the biggest independent real estate agent in the town, have evicted at least 160 people, living across 80 properties.

But they say they have legally had no choice.

Some of the tenants have hit back, saying their homes were still livable, and 24 hours was an unreasonable time frame to process an eviction when they had just been hit by a natural disaster.

Tammy Gavin lives with her four children, aged 21, 19, 16 and 14, and a 13-month-old grandson. She had to be evacuated from her house in Rochester by the SES and spent three nights in hospital because of stress. When she was discharged, she received an email telling her she had 24 hours to vacate her home.

"We have all power, we have electricity, the toilets are working, bathrooms are working. Everything is working in the house," she said.