Senate Inquiry into the worsening rental crisis in Australia

AHURI welcomes this opportunity to provide a submission to the Senate Inquiry into “the worsening rental crisis in Australia.” As a national, independent research institute, AHURI’s mission is to deliver high quality research that influences policy development and practice change to improve the housing and urban environments of all Australians.
 
Australia’s rental markets have been experiencing increasing strain, as the result of a complex set of drivers. These drivers include persistently low rental vacancy rates, insufficient supply relative to population movement and growth, depletion of rental supply through conversion of stock to short term rental (tourist) accommodation, declining home ownership and residualised social housing supply.
 
This submission provides a response to the terms of reference of the Inquiry, referencing mainly AHURI research and policy consultation. It is structured according to the Inquiry Terms of Reference which relate to the “worsening rental crisis in Australia,” with particular reference to: 

• the experience of renters and people seeking rental housing 
• rising rents and rental affordability 
• actions that can be taken by governments to reduce rents or limit rent rises 
• improvements to renters’ rights, including rent stabilisation, length of leases and no grounds evictions 
• factors impacting supply and demand of affordable rentals 
• international experience of policies that effectively support renters 
• the impact of government programs on the rental sector, and 
• other related matters.