Housing is a key influence on poverty and inequality. The availability and cost of housing is both a cause of and has an impact on poverty and inequality. In particular, people who rent are affected by fluctuations in housing cost and availability, which often impact the rental cost of properties; and by external location-based tenancy policies.
This report presents the results of a survey of 1,019 people who rent privately in Australia and places the results of that survey into the context of the overall private rental sector. This report updates two existing report series – the Poverty and Inequality Partnership’s reports on the rental housing impacts of COVID-19; and prior rental surveys conducted by National Shelter, NARO and CHOICE.
Published PRS data shows that the median asking rent for new tenancies (at January 2025) is up 47% per cent on five years previously. Rent increases during tenancies have become more prevalent: 73% of renters had a rent increase in the year to April 2025.
Across most of the issues we asked about, renters in disadvantaged groups are doing worse – especially renters who are unemployed, renters with low education and, to a lesser extent, renters with disability. These renters have been hit with more rent increases, are more worried about the prospect of rent increases, move more, feel less secure and are more worried about asserting their rights.
