Power shift: Renters afraid to speak up as landlords hold the cards

A new survey shows almost seven in 10 renters worry about asking for repairs in case they face a rent increase, reflecting the shifting power dynamic between landlords and tenants in Australia.

Australia’s rental market typically favours landlords, leaving many tenants fearful of asserting their rights amid rising rents and limited housing options.

A new survey released this week by the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) and other groups found 68% of renters expressed concerns about requesting repairs that may result in paying higher rent.

The study, which surveyed 1,019 people who rent in the private sector across Australia, found half of the renters surveyed lived in homes that needed repairs, with one in 10 needing urgent repairs.

ACOSS chief executive Dr Cassandra Goldie said there were serious failings in Australia’s housing market.

“It is completely unacceptable that people in the private rental market are nervous about asking for essential repairs because they fear a rent increase or eviction notice,” Dr Goldie said.

“Everyone deserves to be able to live in secure homes without the constant fear of losing their home.”

It’s been a tough time for renters in Australia, who have seen rental options dwindle in recent years and competition for available homes rise.

This has driven many renters to settle for properties that maybe don’t quite fit the bill, and when renters finally do find the property they’re looking for, they may not want to fully exercise their rights in fear of a rent rise.

But it’s important for renters to understand what protections are in place for them, depending on where they live.

Tenants’ rights are different across the states and territories, but there are some shared values which are the same across the country, such as a safe and healthy environment.

Tenants have the right to privacy, meaning no surprise inspections without notice, and renters have the right to end a tenancy early, however you may need to pay a break lease fee.

While renters are encouraged to stand up for their rights, all of this comes against a backdrop of ever-increasing rental costs that many renters have been struggling to keep up with.

The ACOSS study found a third of renters would be unable to afford their rent if it went up by 5%.

Yet rents continue to rise nationally, with the latest data showing Australia’s median rent grew by 5% to $630 per week during the March 2025 quarter compared with the same time last year, according to PropTrack.

REA Group senior economist Anne Flaherty said Australia’s rental market had been very challenging for tenants in recent years.

“The power dynamic has shifted towards the landlord, particularly over the past five years,” she said.

“However, it isn’t the same case in every suburb, and I think that tenants and landlords alike need to look at the situation in their own local market.

“There are suburbs around Australia where we’ve seen rents rise very significantly, but similarly there are suburbs that have seen significant declines in recent months too.”

Overall, Ms Flaherty said the rental market was challenged for renters, but there were some positive signs such as a significant number of suburbs where rents were decreasing and a growing number of investors returning to the market to provide additional rental housing supply.

The survey was published by the ACOSS/UNSW Sydney-led Poverty and Inequality Partnership, National Shelter and the National Association of Renter Organisations (NARO).

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