A Finder survey reveals just how dire renters think the situation is right now.
Shock new data reveals almost half of Aussie tenants struggled to pay their rent in June – with millions dreading the next call or email from their landlord.
New research by Finder has found nearly two in three tenants fear rate rises will force their rents even higher and for nearly a third of them, that nightmare has already come true.
Around 31 per cent of renters said their rent had already gone up in the past six months and they were worried it would happen again.
Finder money expert Richard Whitten
A further 31 per cent said they believed a hike was on its way before the end of the year – with the numbers landing during acute financial stress for renters.
About 47 per cent said they struggled to pay their rent in June, according to Finder’s Consumer Sentiment Tracker – compared with 38 per cent of homeowners who said they had difficulty meeting their home loan repayments in the same month.
Finder money expert Richard Whitten said landlords facing steeper mortgage repayments were increasingly pushing those costs on.
“Landlords facing higher mortgage repayments are increasingly passing those costs onto tenants through rent increases,” Mr Whitten said.
“Many renters are already stretched thin and worry another hike could seriously impact their ability to cover everyday expenses.”
Mr Whitten said the pressure was especially brutal because renters had almost nowhere to turn in a market with low vacancy rates.
The majority surveyed were living in fear of their next phone call or email from their landlord.
“Low vacancy rates mean renters often feel they have no choice but to accept higher costs or risk being homeless,” he said. “For many Australians, moving is no longer a guaranteed way to save money on rent.”
A further 9 per cent of renters said their rent had already risen in the past six months but were not concerned about another increase.
Just 29 per cent said they had no worries at all about rate rises affecting what they paid.
Mr Whitten said the uncertainty hanging over future rate decisions was making a bad situation even worse for households already running on empty.
“Too many are living in fear of the next email or phone call from their landlord because another increase could blow a hole in an already stretched budget,” he said.
His advice was to control what they can, check tenant rights state by state to ensure proper notice of any increase in writing.
The latest Finder survey has some troubling findings from renters. Source: Finder
Mr Whitten said renters should resist the urge to accept a higher figure without first researching what comparable properties cost.
“Building even a small emergency buffer, trimming non-essential spending and actively shopping around for better deals on bills can make the difference between coping with a rent rise or being caught off guard when it hits,” he said.
\For renters looking for a new home in a crowded market, he said making a strong first impression – through a renter’s resume, a cover letter or solid references from past landlords – could be the edge that secures a property before someone else does.
The findings come from a Finder survey of 311 renters conducted in April 2026, drawn from the company’s Consumer Sentiment Tracker – a monthly, nationally representative survey of more than 90,000 Australians that has been running since May 2019.
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