The shocking living conditions of Sydney renters has been exposed in a new report detailing the internal temperatures reached in homes around NSW last summer.
The report from Better Renting tracked the indoor temperatures of 50 rental homes across the state between December and March, revealing that the some homes reached as high as 40.6°C internally.
NSW has no mandatory minimum energy efficiency standards for rental homes, meaning many properties lack basic features like insulation, ventilation and effective cooling.
Renters reported suffering significant physical, mental and financial distress as a result of the heat in their homes, which were compared to tents and pizza ovens.
The absence of features like air conditioning and insulation can significantly drive up interior home temperatures. Source: Better Renting/Ben Kreunen
Many said they had been unable to sleep, work, cook, or carry out basic daily activities during periods of prolonged indoor heat, while some experienced headaches, nausea and the worsening of existing medical conditions.
On average, renters spent 12 hours per day between 25-30°C, with over a quarter of all sleeping hours spent above 27°C.
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Dulwich Hill renter Bel’s apartment reached almost 36°C internally. Picture: Supplied
Nineteen-year-old renter Bel’s Dulwich Hill apartment reached an indoor temperature of
35.7°C over the summer.
She and her housemate described their Inner West home as a “pizza oven” which heats up rapidly and doesn’t cool overnight.
“The heat in our home affects our ability to get a proper sleep even with ice packs, multiple fans, limited clothing and blankets … it affects our ability to focus on tasks like work or study requiring us to leave the home to complete these tasks,” she said.
Bel has had to create a system of fans in her bedroom just to allow her to be able to have some reprieve from the heat overnight.
“When it has been extremely hot over weekends I have chosen to go and sleep at my parents house on their couch as they have aircon, but I am unable to do this during the week,” she said.
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Bel has to use multiple fans in her bedroom overnight to beat the heat. Picture: Supplied
North Parramatta renter Isabella’s apartment hits as high as 33°C inside.
Isabella, aged 30, suffers from a chronic health condition, and said the lack of relief from the heat in her apartment “severely negatively impacted” her.
“I have been seriously sick multiple times and have even ended up in hospital emergency twice,” she said.
“I felt depressed and frustrated during the worst of the heat, being unable to do even the little things that brought me joy due to being stuck inside in bed made me miserable.”
Isabella said her chronic pain worsened every day the heat dragged on.
“I felt like I lost weeks to the pain and was unable to function properly.”
Her home’s lack of insulation also came at a significant financial cost.
“Having to run our portable AC vastly increases our electricity bill and being unable to cook properly means we spent more money on pre-made meals and take away in order to make sure we were fed,” she said.
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Internal heat has also led to property damage. Picture: Supplied
Photos from various renters show the shocking condition of windows that let in heat through cracks and gaps. Picture: Supplied
Better Renting deputy CEO Bernadette Barrett said no one should be forced to endure a home that becomes dangerously hot or makes it impossible to sleep or carry out basic daily activities.
“After reading survey responses from renters who can’t sleep, can’t function properly in their homes, and in some cases are ending up in hospital because their homes are too hot, you have to ask – how are we allowing this to continue?” she said.
“Renters are living in homes that are hotter than median outdoor temperatures, and staying that way well into the night.
“These conditions reflect a clear failure to ensure rental homes provide safe and healthy living standards.”
Ms Barrett said the state government had the opportunity to introduce minimum energy efficiency standards for the benefit of renters.
“Homes reaching extreme indoor temperatures are not providing adequate shelter,” she said.
“Renters deserve minimum standards that ensure their homes can maintain safe and liveable temperatures, even during prolonged heat.”
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