A survey of Australian rentals found that more than half are hitting dangerous and unhealthy temperatures over summer, and renters are suffering as a result.
The survey, conducted by rental advocacy Better Renting, saw 109 renters across Australia track the temperature and humidity inside their homes from December 2023 to early February 2024.
What they found was more than half of renters reported living in poor living conditions, with many simply unable to afford to cool their homes. But hey, at least winter is around the corner, when homes will be too cold instead of too hot.
When renters say things are hot, they mean hot. The highest indoor temperature reported was 45.3 degrees, and in some areas it was hotter inside than outside as much as two-thirds of the time.
“At night there is no relief from the heat as the design of my house means the wind is blocked from reaching the windows making it absolutely stifling, and impossible to sleep,” one renter told researchers.
“I literally have to go live somewhere else during the bad heatwaves, but that isn’t always an option.”
Another reported having to sleep in a tent in their backyard as it was cooler than inside the house. They couldn’t even leave if they wanted to, with many reporting feeling “stuck” in unhealthy and poorly designed houses due to soaring rents.
“It gets really, really hot. The house faces west as well so in the afternoon the sun blares through the windows. I do all I can within my limits to battle the heat in my house, and of course it isn’t enough,” on renter said.
“None of it cools the house down enough because of the terrible design of the house.”
It’s not just a bit of sweat they have to worry about either, with researchers saying poor living conditions actually negatively impacts many other areas of people’s lives, with sleep being the first thing to go.
In fact, inability to sleep due to heat was found to be the most common complaint by renters, with bedrooms often found to be the hottest rooms in the house. Further, researches found poor quality sleep led to poorer performance at work, and heightened financial stresses associated with cooling their homes.
So how do we fix it? Better Renting’s recommendations include bringing in a minimum energy performance standard for rentals, so landlords can’t rent a house that’s too hot or too cold.
It also said improving the power of renters to exercise their rights, something recommended in the National Inquiry Into The Rental Crisis last year, was beyond urgent.
So ultimately, renting leaves you broke, physically ages you and ruins your sleep. What’s not to love?
