Renters are going to great lengths to find a place to call home in Australia, as rents continue to rise and tenants compete for available properties.
Australia's challenge has been a lot of people have been looking to rent, but there haven't been enough homes to go around, which has resulted in lines at inspections, bidding wars and renters settling for a lower standard of living.
Desperate tenants have been pulling out all the stops, racing to get their applications in ahead of other renters and using other tactics to stand out to landlords.
It comes as rents continue to rise across the country, with the latest data showing the national median rent growing 5% during the March 2025 quarter compared to the same time last year, according to PropTrack.
REA Group senior economist Anne Flaherty said renters have been under pressure to make and submit their applications very quickly.
“We’ve also seen renters in certain instances where there has been a lot of interest in a property actually proposing a higher rent where it's legally allowed to do so,” Ms Flaherty said.
"Of course, it's not legal everywhere, but that's certainly something that renters, in certain cases, feel like they do need to do.
Renters are finding it increasingly hard to secure a rental home across parts of Australia. Picture: Getty
“Renters have been recognising that it's not just about whether they like the property, but it's also about making a good impression on the property manager and getting that rental application in nice and early.
“Those are things that can help them to stand out against a lot of other applications.”
Buxton Real Estate property manager Phoebe Righetti said it was important to get your application in straight away after inspecting a property you like.
“We often present applications to the rental providers as soon as they come in, and if you leave that for a day or two, that may be the reason that you’re not approved,” she said.
Renters should complete and submit their applications straight away after inspecting a property they like. Picture: Getty
“There’s not one major thing that will put you forward over anyone else, but it is just making sure that all the information that we have is clear, detailed and we can put that forward to our rental providers.
“When we have multiple strong applications, what can sometimes set you apart from other applications is a cover letter that details a little bit about your situation and sometimes that may be what tips the balance.”
It’s not just hard to lock a rental home down; it’s getting more and more expensive as well.
It’s never been so costly for renters in Australia, with rental affordability at its lowest levels, according to the 2025 PropTrack Rental Affordability Index.
The report, released in March, found that rental affordability had worsened during the year, hitting its lowest level since at least 2008, when records began.
Rental affordability was toughest in New South Wales, though most other states were not far behind.
Victoria was the only exception and was Australia’s most affordable state for renters.
While Victorian rental affordability has worsened significantly since 2021-22, it had not deteriorated as sharply as other states.
The deterioration in affordability across the country had been driven by the significant increase in rents that had been seen over the past four years.
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