Barely liveable’: renters forced to live in unhealthy temperatures
A staggering amount of NSW renters say they’ve been forced to live in barely habitable homes - and they will face a growing risk as the temperature heats.
News.com.au
August 30, 2024
One third of NSW renters are suffering with no heating or cooling in their rental homes, a new report reveals.
Tenant advocacy organisation Better Renting has published their report ‘Joule Thieves’ revealing the staggering amount of NSW renters that are struggling, not able to properly cool or heat their homes.
Better Renting surveyed over 1400 renters over May/June, including 500 from NSW.
About 38 per cent of those renters in NSW reported being too cold almost all of the time in winter, with 29 per cent of respondents saying their homes were too hot in summer almost all the time.
About 80 per cent said they had to reduce heating and cooling in their home due to energy costs.
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Sarah Young’s three year old son next to mould due to lack of proper ventilation, heating and cooling in their rental.
Sarah Young moved from Canberra to rent in Sydney with her three year old son and partner, with their rental having no heating or cooling.
“I expected a much milder winter than Canberra but because there is no heating or proper insulation, we’ve been colder in this house than we ever were in Canberra … and we’ve also been sick a lot,” she said.
There was a gas heater that didn’t work when they first moved in, yet instead of fixing or replacing it, they were told they could throw it out.
When they first moved in it was summer and she requested an airconditioner.
“Particularly in my son’s room which is west facing, it was too hot in summer, especially the time a toddler goes to bed,” she said.
The landlord however denied the request for “cost reasons.”
“There was also no fly screen on the windows, so that passive cooling was also more difficult … we couldn’t just leave windows wide open, we have a young kid that could fall out the window.”
Ms Young requested an aircon for her sons room but was denied for “cost reasons,” and says she is always wiping away mould.
Ms Young said these issues have also have meant there had been mould throughout the house.
“There was a dehumidifier provided to us with instructions that we should use it, that gave me the first indication that this house has had problems,” she said.
Ms Young says she’s now spent hundreds of dollars on portable airconditions, tarps to go with them, and damp rid as well as having to constantly clean mould to maintain the home.
“If we knew about the mould...I would have liked to have moved, but moving costs a lot and we did the sums and we thought it would be better to stay here,” she said.
Renters also reported, in a tight rental market, it was common for landlords or agents
to ignore requests for maintenance, and many renters were afraid to make such requests.
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This meant that homes were falling into disrepair around their occupants, who were too
afraid of retaliation to exercise their rights.
“I haven’t made a lot of complaints because of the fear of rent going up or tenancy ending,” Ms Young said.
Increased rent and energy costs combined with inefficient homes left many renters barely
getting by and living in unhealthy temperatures, according to Better Renting Executive
Director Joel Dignam.
“What we’ve seen over these past months is a combination of a tight rental market, high
energy costs, and an especially cold winter. So renters have been pushed into substandard
homes, landlords aren’t doing repairs and renters are reluctant to speak up, then at the
same time they are cutting back on energy usage,” Mr Dignam said.
Better Renting executive director Joel Dignam.
“It is an awful situation to be in, to be worrying how to make ends meet, while shivering in a home that is unhealthy just to live in.”
Ms Young said she felt there needed to be “clear minimum standards,” for rental properties and a mould specialist service for renters.
“I’ve got people who have never lived in the home that say its probably not a problem and I’m saying it is a problem. I don’t know what the health effects are what is reasonable for a house to have just due to the climate,” she said.
“I would love it if I could break a lease and it would not cost me any money if the housing is unsuitable for my family.”
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