Home Ensuring private rental housing supports patients experiencing mental health issues BACK TO brief Share brief Ensuring private rental housing supports patients experiencing mental health issues People who are experiencing a range of mental health issues can live comfortably and safely in many different forms of housing tenure, including the private rental sector. However due to their medical situation they may need extra forms of support from real estate professionals to maintain tenancies. 06 Nov 2022 Early identification of tenants experiencing mental health disorders. Property managers and housing workers, in both social housing and the private rental sector, are often among the first people to observe that their tenants are experiencing a mental health disorder. However, managers may not recognise tenants’ behaviours as originating from a mental health disorder, and instead may impose sanctions such as evicting the tenant. A very practical policy solution would be to develop education programs for social housing and private rental sector property managers so they can recognise mental health disorders in tenants at an earlier stage and know what support services they can steer tenants towards. In particular, such programs could help connect social housing providers with mental health services so that state and territory housing anti-social behaviour policies (such as eviction) are not inappropriately applied to tenants suffering from mental ill health. Research into anti-social behaviour in public housing identifies that anti-social behaviour is often an indicator that a tenant who suffers from mental health problems person is unwell or that their support programs have ceased. If housing policies enforce eviction it can mean individuals move to private rental in the same community or to another government or community supplied dwelling elsewhere where the anti-social behaviour may continue, or in a worst case the individual may become homeless. While there are no examples of education programs specifically targeted for property sector workers, as part of a previous 'Taking action to tackle suicide' program, the Commonwealth Government provided funding for ‘mental health first aid training for frontline community workers in the financial and legal sectors, relationship counsellors and healthcare workers. These sectors interact with people who may be in financial, legal or relationship crisis where the risk of suicide is increased.’ Such education programs could be expanded to cover real estate professionals (in both social housing and the private rental market). Related resources brief What is a mental ill health issue and how it affects housing Every year, 1 in 5 adult (around 20%) Australians are estimated to experience mental ill health (equating to about 5 million Australians in 2020-21). AIHW data reveals that 4.5 million patients (17.7% of the Australian population) filled a prescription for a mental health-related medication in 2020–21. view details brief Post-crisis housing for patients experiencing mental health issues Many people who have been hospitalised as a result of a severe mental health disorder face a significant risk of becoming homeless when they are discharged. view details brief Helping people experiencing mental health issues to live in their own homes. Enabling people who are experiencing or have experienced a severe mental health disorder to access or remain in private housing is a benefit for all the community. However, research finds that only 27 per cent of people with a mental illness own or are buying their own home, which compares poorly with 70 per cent of the general Australian population who own or are buying their own home. view details
brief What is a mental ill health issue and how it affects housing Every year, 1 in 5 adult (around 20%) Australians are estimated to experience mental ill health (equating to about 5 million Australians in 2020-21). AIHW data reveals that 4.5 million patients (17.7% of the Australian population) filled a prescription for a mental health-related medication in 2020–21. view details
brief Post-crisis housing for patients experiencing mental health issues Many people who have been hospitalised as a result of a severe mental health disorder face a significant risk of becoming homeless when they are discharged. view details
brief Helping people experiencing mental health issues to live in their own homes. Enabling people who are experiencing or have experienced a severe mental health disorder to access or remain in private housing is a benefit for all the community. However, research finds that only 27 per cent of people with a mental illness own or are buying their own home, which compares poorly with 70 per cent of the general Australian population who own or are buying their own home. view details
