Three in four Australians say a $20 weekly rise in rent or mortgage would force them to cut back, according to an Everybody’s Home survey of 1,150 people. Of those, 41 per cent said they could not afford it or would need to cut essentials such as food, medication or bills. Many respondents also said they had delayed major life decisions, including saving for retirement. Everybody’s Home has called for minimum standards for rental homes, limits on unfair rent increases and more public and community housing.
Sydney renter Peter Temby, 78, says he has sometimes gone without meals to afford rent in Glenhaven. He says his weekly rent has risen from $270 in 2011 to $400, and he claims the home has mould and little sunlight. A new Everybody's Home report found that over 60 per cent of surveyed NSW households spend more than 30 per cent of their income on housing. Many respondents also reported skipping meals, cutting energy use and avoiding doctor visits.
Greens MP Jenny Leong claims Sydney renters could have saved almost $7,500 if a 2 per cent rent cap had applied from 2023. She will introduce a Rent Control Bill to NSW Parliament on Thursday. The proposed bill would impose a 12-month rent freeze, with backpay for increases paid since June 30, followed by a 2 per cent annual cap. It would also make two-year leases the standard. The Minns Labor Government and the Liberal-National Coalition have previously opposed rent freezes and caps, arguing they could reduce housing supply.
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Three in four Australians would have to cut back if their rent or mortgage rose by just $20 a week, according to a new Everybody's Home report. The No Room to Move survey of 1,150 people found many would struggle to afford essentials such as food, medication and bills. One in four respondents feared becoming homeless if housing costs kept rising over the next year. Everybody's Home spokesperson Maiy Azize said renters were receiving the worst deal in living memory and called for minimum standards for rental homes, limits on unfair rent increases and more public housing.
A survey of 1150 people has found that 76 per cent of Australians would have to cut back on essentials such as medicine and food if rent or mortgage repayments rose by $20 a week. The survey was conducted by housing advocacy group Everybody's Home between July and September. Nearly half of respondents said their home was not warm enough this winter. Rents remain above historically high levels, although some capital cities recorded small falls, while Darwin house rents rose 5.3 per cent in the September quarter.
NSW politicians from rival parties have united to criticise the state's affordable housing policy. They argue the current definition of affordable housing, based on 80 per cent of market value, is inadequate. Advocates propose rent should not exceed 30 per cent of a person's income. They also oppose the 15-year time limit on affordable housing in new developments, insisting it should be permanent. The Inner West and City of Sydney councils already use the 30 per cent definition, but the state government has not mandated it.
