Rent

ingi
nVi
ctor
ia:
Snapshot2020
Cont
ent
s
3 I
ntr
oduct
i
on
4 Whoi
srent
i
ng?
6 Wher
ear
epeopl
erent
i
ng?
7 Whatt
ypeofhousi
ngar
epeopl
erent
i
ng?
8 Whoar
epeopl
erent
i
ngf
rom?
10 Whati
srent
i
ngl
i
ke?
15 Whathappenswhent
her
eisapr
obl
em?
18 Whatsys
temi
cissueshav
ebeeni
dent
i
fi
ed?
19 Ac
knowl
edgement
s
 I
ntr
oduct
ion

Thi
sist
hef
i
rstedi
t
ionofourannual
publ
i on,Rent
cat
i i
ngi
nVi
ct
ori
a:Snapshot2020.

Ther
eisnoeas ysour
cef
ort
hebasi
cdat
aaboutr
ent
i
ngi
nVi
ct
ori
a,andt
hisr
epor
tisi
ntended
t
ohelpfi
l
lthatgap.

Thi
slackofrel
i
abl
einf
ormati
oncontr
ibut
estomanymisconcept
ionsaboutr
ent
i
ngi
nthe
Vi
ct
oriancommuni
ty–isitwel
lknownjusthowmanypeoplearerent
ersnowandt
hatt
heyar
e
l
essli
kelyt
obeonthei
rwayt ohomeowner shi
p?

I
tisalsotr
uethatrent
ingissuesarenottakeni
ntoconsiderati
onoft
enenoughbyal l
the
rel
evantpol
icymak er
sandpeopl edel
iveri
ngser
vicestoVi ct
ori
ans.Why,forexampl
e,i
st he
numberofev i
ct
ionsnottakenasseri
ouslyasawar ni
ngi ndi
catorasthenumberofmortgage
f
orecl
osures?

sSnaps
Thi hoti
sint
endedt
ohel
pimpr
ovegener
alknowl
edgeaboutr
ent
i
ng.

Asy oureadthrough,youwil
lseethatitdrawstogetherinfor
mationf
rom popul
ati
onlevel
data
sourcessuchast heAustr
ali
anCensusandt heRes identi
alTenanci
esBondAut hor
it
yaswell
asthemai norganis
ati
onstowhichr ent
ersturnforassist
ance:TenantsVict
ori
a,Consumer
Aff
airs,t
heVictor
ianCivi
landAdmi nist
rat
i
veTr i
bunal ,wel
fareagenci
esandcommuni tyl
egal
servi
ces.

sSnaps
Thi hotrecognisestheimport
antworkoforgani
sat
ionssupport
i
ngrenter
sandIhopewi
l
l
encour
ageyoutofindoutmor e.Wehavepr eparedatechnical
papertosuppl
ementt
he
Snapshotf
ort
hosewi shingtofi
ndfurt
heri
nfor
mat i
ononthedetail
s.

sSnaps
Thi hotwaspreparedbeforesoli
ddatawasavai l
ableontheimpactofCOVID-19on
resi
dentialt
enanci
es.Whatwedoknowi sthattheimpacthasalr
eadybeensigni
f
icantbef
ore
l
ockdowni soverandr ecoveryunderway,andsot hedatainthi
srepor
twil
lbeabaseli
ne
againstwhichtomeasur etheeff
ectofCOVI D-19insubsequentedi
ti
onsofRenti
nginVict
ori
a:
Snaps hot.

Heat
herHolst
Commissi
onerforResi
dent
i
alTenanci
es

Rent
i
ngi
nVi
ct
ori
a:Snaps
hot2020 3
 Whoi
srent
ing?
616,
990househol
dsi
nVi
ct
ori
a
wererent
i
ngin2016
s27.
That
' 5% ofal
lhousehol
ds

85.4% ofrental
househol
ds
(about540,000)wereint
he
pri
vatemar ket 27.
5%

62,
995households(about
10%)ofr
entalhouseholds
werei
npubli
chousing
13,
476( about2%)ofr
ent
al
householdswerei
ncommunit
y
housi
ng

Composi
ti
onofal
lVi
ctor
ianr
ent
alhousehol
ds,2016

Oneper
sonhousehol
d 28.
4%

Coupl
ewi
thchi
ldr
en 22.
0%

Coupl
ewi
thnochi
ldr
en 19.
5%

Onepar
entf
ami
ly 14.
6%

Gr
ouphousehol
d 10.
7%

Otherfami
lyorMul
ti
3.
2%
f
ami l
yhousehol
d

Ot
her
/Unknown 1.
6%

Rent
i
ngi
nVi
ct
ori
a:Snaps
hot2020 4
 46.
6% ofrent
alhousehol
dswereconsi
dered
l
ower-
incomedur i
ngthe2017/
18fi
nanci
alyear

2.
0% ofrental
51.7% ofal
lAbor
iginal
householdsinVictor
ia
householdsinVi
ctoria
i
ncludedAbor i
ginal
arerenti
ng
person(
s)in2016

24.
9% ofAbor
igi
nalr
ent
alhousehol
dsar
einpubl
ichousi
ng

4.
4% ofpeoplerenti
ngin
2016wereprofoundly
disabl
ed*

*Disabl
edisdef
i
nedaspeopl
ewho'
needassi
st
ancewi
t
hcor
e
act
i
viti
es'
.
33.
2% ofr
entersspokea
l
anguageotherthan
Engli
shathomedur i
ng
2016

12.
4% ofVi
ctor
iansaged55
year
soroverwererenti
ngi
n
2016

6.
6% wer
efemal
eand5.
9%
weremal
e

Rent
i
ngi
nVi
ct
ori
a:Snaps
hot2020 5
 Wher
ear
epeopl
erent
ing?

29.
0%
ofal
lMet ropoli
tan
Vict
orian
househol dsare
r
enting
©OpenSt
reet
Map

0.
0%-12%
0 13-24% 25-
36% 37-48% 6
49-60
0.
%0%

23.
5%
ofal
lRegional
Vict
ori
an
households
arerenti
ng

Topt
©OpenSt
renLocal
eet
Map Gov
ernmentAr
easwher
epeopl
ear
erent
i
ngi
nVi
ct
ori
a
Mel
bour
ne 59.
8%
Yar
ra 50.
3%
Por
tPhi
l
li
p 49.
2%
St
onni
ngt
on 44.
2%
Mar
ibyr
nong 42.
0%
Dar
ebi
n 36.
3%
Mor
eland 36.
1%
Wodonga 34.
0%
Gr
eat
erDandenong 33.
4%
Gl
enEi
ra 32.
6%

Rent
i
ngi
nVi
ct
ori
a:Snaps
hot2020 6
Whatt
ypeofhousi
ngar
epeopl
erent
ing?

27.
2%
49.
5% Flator
Separ
atehouse apart
ment

1.
4% 22.
0%
Ter
racehouseor
Ot
her
/Unknown* Townhouse

Pr
opor
ti
onofdwel
li
ngt
ypesbei
ngr
ent
edi
nVi
ctor
ia

*I
ncl
udesCar
avan/
Houseboat
,House/
Flatat
tachedt
oshop,I
mpr
ovi
sedhome,Tent
,Sl
eeper
soutorUnk
nown.

4,
411 1,
340

Vict
ori
answereli
vingi
n r
oominghouseswere
boardi
ngorroominghouses r
egi
ster
edduring2018/
19
i
n2016 é 6.
7% compar
edt
o2017/
18

Rent
i
ngi
nVi
ct
ori
a:Snaps
hot2020 7
 Whoar
epeopl
erent
ingf
rom?

I
nvestorsaccounted ê 1.
8per centagepoi
nts
for28.3% ofal
lnew fr
om lastyear,when
housingfinancei
n i
nvestorsmadeup30. 1%
2019 ofhousingfinance

Landl
ordsbynumberofr
ent
alpr
oper
tyi
nter
est
s,2017

Onepr
oper
ty 374,
567(
71.
8%)

Twopr
oper
ti
es 97,
409(
18.
7%)

Thr
eepr
oper
ti
es 29,
598(
5.7%)

Fourormore
20,
242(
3.9%)
proper
ti
es

Theshar
eofl
andl
ordswi
tht
woormor
epr
oper
ti
esi
sont
her
ise.
..

Per
cent
agepoi
ntchangeover15year
s(2002-2017)
Onepr
oper
ty Twopr
oper
ti
es Thr
eepr
oper
ti
es Fourormor
epr
oper
ti
es
1.
8
0.
8 0.
9

-
3.5

Rent
i
ngi
nVi
ct
ori
a:Snaps
hot2020 8
 67.0% ofrent
alpropert
iesi
n
2016wer erentedthr
ougha
realestat
eagent

Pr
ofi
lesofr
egi
ster
edpr
oper
tymanager
s,Febr
uar
y2020

33.5% ofproperty
manager sarelicenced
realestat
eagent sand
66.5% areagents'
representat
ives

50.
4% ofpr
opert
y
managerswer
emale

Almostonethi
rdofal
l
propert
ymanager
s
(30.
3%)wereaged
between26and35years

Rent
i
ngi
nVi
ct
ori
a:Snaps
hot2020 9
 Whati
srent
ingl
ike?

145,
770 39.
5%
l
ower-i
ncome ofCommonweal thRent
househol
dswer epayi
ng Assist
ancereci
pient
s
morethan30% of paidmor et
han30% of
i
ncomei nrenti
n2017/18 thei
rincomeinrenti
n
2019

That
's 43.
9% é 0.
8
percent
agepoints
ofal
llower-
incomer
ent
al comparedtothe
househol
ds previ
ousyear(38.
7%)

1.
2% ofrent
erswer
el i
ving 8,
929peoplewereconsi
der
ed
i
novercrowdedorseverel
y homelessduetoli
vingi
n
over
crowdeddwell
ingsin sever
elyover
crowded
2016 dwell
ingsi
n2016.

Pr
opor
ti
onofnew pr
ivat
erent
alst
hatwer
eaf
for
dabl
e
Met
ro Regi
onal Vi
ct
ori
a

December2018 Mar
ch2019 June2019 Sept
ember2019

47.
2% 46.
2%
45.
1% 44.
6%

13.
2% 13.
2% 14.
0%
11.
7%
5.
8% 7.
2%
5.
4% 5.
0%

Rent
i
ngi
nVi
ct
ori
a:Snaps
hot2020 10
 Changei
nmedi
anr
ent(
dollars)byLocalGover
nmentArea(per
cent
agechange
f
rom September2018toSeptember2019)

Met
ropol
i
tan Regi
onal

-
9.0% 16.
0%

Not
ehigherpercent
agesanddar
kermar
ooni
ndi
cat
esmedi
anrent
s($)havei
ncr
eased.Negat
i
veper
cent
agesi
ndi
cat
emedi
anr
ent
s
(
$)havedecreased.
©OpenStr
eetMap ©OpenStr
eetMap

Top5Local
Gover
nmentAr
easwi
t
hgr
eat
estmedi
anannual
renti
ncr
easei
nMet
ropol
i
tanMel
bour
ne

St
onni
ngt
on 5.
6%

Mar
ibyr
nong 5.
0%
Thegr eatest
Bor
oondar
a 4.
4% rentalincreases
wereinRegi onal
Mor
ningt
onPeni
nsul
a 3.
9%
Victori
a
Yar
raRanges 2.
6%

Top5Local
Gover
nmentAr
easwi
t
hgr
eat
estmedi
anannual
renti
ncr
easei
nRegi
onal
Vict
ori
a

Benal
l
a 15.
4%

Nor
ther
nGr
ampi
ans 15.
2%

Sout
her
nGr
ampi
ans 13.
0%

Moyne 12.
5%

I
ndi
go 12.
3%

Rent
i
ngi
nVi
ct
ori
a:Snaps
hot2020 11
 Thenumberofbondst
hatwer
e
great
ert
han4weeksrenti
n
2018/
19was198,
870
That
'supf
rom 117,
097i
n2017/
18

I
n2018/19t
herewere68,900
assi
gnmentsbybondtransf
er
é by4.
1% compar
edt
o2017/
18

Rent
alvacancyr
atemovement
Met
ropol
i
tanMel
bour
ne Regi
onal
Vict
ori
a

2.
2%
2.
1%
2.
0% 2.
0%
1.
8%

1.
5%
1.
4% 1.
4%

December2017 June2018 December2018 June2019

Accommodat
ioncompl
aint
smadet
otheVictor
ianEqualOppor
tuni
tyand
HumanRight
sCommissi
on,2018/
19

201
206
1/
717 111

201
207
1/
818 139

201
208
1/
919 111

55% ofaccommodati
oncomplaint
sduri
ng
2018/
19wer edi
sabi
li
tydi
scr
iminati
on

Rent
i
ngi
nVi
ct
ori
a:Snaps
hot2020 12
 Pr
opor
ti
onofr
ent
erst
hatmovedi
nlast5year
s

Ent
i
rehousehol
d Somei
nhousehol
d

67.
3% 4.
2%

Nonei
nhousehol
d Unknown/
Other

24.
1% 4.
4%

Themedianl
engthofatenancyi
n
2019wasapproxi
matel
y18.5months*
*or566days

Medi
anl
engt
hofat
enancyi
ndays

566
554
532

2
20
01
17
6/
17 20
2011
78
/18 2
20
01
19
8/
19

Thenumberofl
ongerf
ixed-
ter
mtenancyagr
eement
s
(
5ormoreyear
s)asofFebruar
y2020

140
Rent
i
ngi
nVi
ct
ori
a:Snaps
hot2020 13
 2,
701'Nofaul
t'evi
cti
onapplicat
ionsweremadeto
Vi
ctor
ianCivi
l&Admi nist
rat
iveTri
bunal(
VCAT)in2019

72.
4% oft
hoseappl
icat
ionspr
oceededt
oahear
ing

Numberof'
Nof
aul
t'evi
cti
onappl
icat
ionst
hatpr
oceededt
oahear
ing,byt
ype
# %
Not
icet
ovacat
efornospeci
fi
edr
eason 479 24.
5%
Endoff
ixedt
ermt
enancy 445 22.
8%
Pr
emi
sest
obesol
d 303 15.
5%
Ter
minat
ionaf
terdeat
hofsol
etenant 229 11.
7%
Pr
emi
sest
obeoccupi
edbyl
andl
ordorl
andl
ord'
sfami
ly 217 11.
1%
Repai
rs(
repai
r,r
enovat
eorr
econst
ructt
hepr
emi
ses) 149 7.
6%
Ot
her 133 6.
8%

95.5% of'Atfaul
t'evi
cti
on
15,
837'Atfaul
t'evi
cti
on applicat
ionsthat
appl
icat
ionswer emade proceededt oahear i
ng
toVCATi n2019 wer eduet onon-payment
ofrent

Theremaini
ng4.5% of
appl
icat
iontypesi
ncluded:

86.
4% ofthose -damagebyt enantorthei
rv i
si
tor
-endangeringneighbours
appl
icat
ionsproceeded -sub-l
ett
i
ngwi t
houtconsent
toahearing -Sucessi
vebr eachesbyt enant
-Fail
uretopaybond
-Useofpr emisesforil
l
egal purpos
es

Rent
i
ngi
nVi
ct
ori
a:Snaps
hot2020 14
 Whathappenswhent
her
eisapr
obl
em?
51% ofVi
ctor
ianr
ent
ersexper
iencedani
ssuedur
ingt
hei
rtenancy

11% ofr ent

erssaythei
r 28% ofr
enter
ssay
propertywasi npoor thei
rmaint
enance
conditi
onornot i
ssueswerenot
maintained att
endedto

Topf
ivecompl
aint
srepor
tedt
oCAV
Totalnumberofr
ental
quer
iestoConsumerAffai
rs 1.Repai
rsandmai
ntenance-1,
206
Vict
oria(
CAV)2018/
19

56,
490 2.Bonds-608

Top3r
ent
alt
ypesf
orenqui
ri
es 3.Ter
minat
ionr
ight
s-190

Pr
ivat
eRent
al 53,
419 4.Unr
egi
ster
edr
oomi
nghouses-134
Publ
icHousi
ng 1,
288
5.Rentandr
ecei
pts-93
Roomi
ngHouses 1,
029

CAVresolved1,
438r
ent
ingdisput
esi
n2019
t
hroughFrontLi
neCompli
anceand
Resol
uti
on

Thesei
ncl
ude:
CAVi ssued16i nf
ri
ngement
not
icesundert hetenancy •Dut
ytopaybondt
oAut
hor
it
y-11
l
aw in2018/19 •St
andar
dsf
orr
oomi
nghouses-4
•Bondf
orml
odgment-1

Rent
i
ngi
nVi
ct
ori
a:Snaps
hot2020 15
 Topf
ivei
ssuesr
epor
tedt
oTenant
sVi
ctor
ia

1.Compensat
ion-15.
7%

14,
861 2.Repai
rs-15.
2%
compl aint
swer e
receivedby
Tenant sVictor
ia 3.Bondr
efund-9.
8%
duri
ngt he2018/19
fi
nanci alyear 4.Pr
ivacy/
qui
etenj
oyment-8.
0%

5.Not
icet
ovacat
e-7.
7%

Communi tyagenci
esprovi
de
Topf
ivei
ssuesr
epor
tedt
oTAAP
pri
vatetenancyinf
ormat
ionand
servi
cesundertheTenancy
Assist
anceandAdvocacyPr ogr
am
1.Possessi
onornot
icet
ovacat
e-31.
8% (TAAP)

TAAPassist
edwit
h5,831t
enancy
matt
ersduri
ng2018/
19
2.Compensat
ioncl
aims-11.
6%
é 12% f
rom 2017/
18

3.Bondcl
aims-10.
4%

4.Rentar
rear
s-10.
4%

5.Leasebr
eaki
ng-7.
0%

Rent
i
ngi
nVi
ct
ori
a:Snaps
hot2020 16
 Vict
ori
aLegalAidprovided2,519compl
ex
resi
denti
alt
enancyservicesduri
ng2018/
19*
(
*incl
udesgr
ant
s,advi
ce,dut
ylawyerser
vicesandot
hermi
norwor
k)

.
..andprovided4,177legali
nfor
mat i
onand
r
eferr
alservicesonlandlordandtenanti
ssues

Appl
iA
c p
at
i p
onsl
i
tcV
oat
Ci
Ao
Tn
bst
yAo
p V
pl
i C
ca A
ntt
yTb
pe y
,2018/
19
Appl
icantt
ype,2018-
2019
# %

Est
ateagent
s/Pr
oper
tymanager
s 31,
973 61.
0%

52,
412 Pr
ivat
elandl
ords 3,
830 7.
3%

appli
cationsto
Publ
ichousi
ng 8,
628 16.
5%
VCATi nthe2018/19
f
inancialyear
Tenant
sorr
esi
dent
s 6,
693 12.
8%

Other(Roominghouse
1,
288 2.
5%
owners/Car
avanparkowner
s)

Appr
oxi
mat
ely25-30% ofhear
ingsar
econt
est
edatVCAT

Theoverallcust
omer
sati
sfact
ionwiththeVCAT
processwas86. 4% f
or2019
Thati
sani ncr
easeof0.
3%
fr
om 2018

Rent
i
ngi
nVi
ct
ori
a:Snaps
hot2020 17
Whatsyst
emi
cissueshavebeeni
dent
if
ied?

"Icont act
edmany
“Myper sonal
gover nmentagenci esto experiencehasbeent hat
makec omplaint
sbutit mostr epairsrequested
didn'ts eem tobewor th arenotcompl etedwi t
hin
itintheendf inanci
all
y. ar easonabl etimefr
ame,
Rent ersneedt obe andt hatrentincreases
arest i
llappli
edeveni f
tr
eat edbet terandhave r
epai rsarenot
mor er ight
stol i
veina compl eted.
”
s afehome…"

Owner
scor
por
ati
on
Ac
cessBondr
efund Ter
minati
onbylandl
ord Renti
ncr
ease

Repai
rs
Soci
alhousi
ng Roominghouse
Modi
f
icat
i
ons Landl
ordconduct
Fami
l
yvi
ol
enc
e Gettinghelp
St
andar
ds I
nsecur
it
yUtilitiesSui
Rentar
rear
s
t
abi
l
it
y

Br
eachofdut
ybyl
andl
ord
Jur
isdi
ct
ion
Rent Agentconduct

Di
sput
eresol
uti
on
Af
for
dabi
l
it
y
Goodsl
eftbehi
nd

Condit
i
onsofagreement
Ter
minat
ionbytenantNoti
cetov
ac
Cons
at
e
umerpr
otect
i
onPropertymanagement
Agentpr
act
i
ce
Compensat
i
oncl
ai
m byl
andl
ord
Nei
ghbourpr
obl
em

"Thecost[ofrenti
ng]
increasedsubstant
ial
l
y
"Ther ealestateagent s overthatt
imeandi ti
s
havevar iedgr eatly..
. becomi ngunaff
ordabl
e
I
tseemst hatregar dless f
ormeevent houghIam
ofthelevelofi nterestoft he earni
ngaheal t
hy
proper t
yowner ,realest ate sal
ary."
agentsar enothel d
account ablef orhow
theytreattenant s."

Rent
i
ngi
nVi
ct
ori
a:Snaps
hot2020 18
Acknowl
edgement
s

TheCommissi
onerf
orResi
dent
ial
Tenanci
eswoul
dli
ketoacknowl
edgeand
t
hanktheCri
meStat
ist
i
csAgencyinVi
ctor
iaf
ort
heprepar
ati
onoft
his
repor
t.

TheCommi ssi
onerforResidenti
alTenanciesisgratef
ul t
oal lcontri
butorsfor
t
hepr ovi
sionofdat ar equi
redtocompl et
ethisreport
.Speci althanksar e
ext
endedt o:ConsumerAf f
air
sVictor
ia;Vi
ctori
anCivilandAdmi nist
rati
ve
Tri
bunal;Tenant sVictori
a;Vict
ori
aLegal Ai
d;andLi ssRal stonatSwi nburne
Universi
ty,whopr ovidedcustomiseddataandval uableinsightstoassistin
t
hedevel opmentoft hispaper

Rent
i
ngi
nVi
ct
ori
a:Snaps
hot2020 19
 Publi
shedbytheCommissi
onerforResi
dent
i
alTenanci
es,
Level12,222Exhi
bi
ti
onStr
eet,Melbour
neVIC3000.

Copyr
ight©2020St
ateofVi
ct
ori
a,Aust
ral
i
a

Renti
nginVict
ori
a:Snaps
hot
June2020
ISSN 2652-
6409

Thewor kisli
censedunderthetermsoftheCr eat
iveCommonsAt t
ri
buti
on4.0I nternat
ional
l
icence.Tov i
ewacopyoft hisl
icence,vi
s i
t
:creat
i
v ecommons.
org/
li
censes
/by/4.0.
Iti
sacondi t
i
onoft hi
sCreati
veCommonsAt t
ri
but
ion4.0Li
cencethatyougivecr editt
othe
ori
ginalaut
hor,whoistheStateofVictor
ia.

r
ent
ingcommi
ssi
oner
.vi
c.gov.
au

i
nfo@r
ent
ingcommi
ssi
oner
.vi
c.gov.
au

1300029783

TheCommi ssi
oneracknowl
edgesAborigi
nalandTor
resStrai
tIsl
anderpeopl
east
heTr
adi
t
ional
Cust
odi
ansoft
hel
and
andacknowledgesandpaysrespectt
otheirEl
der
s,pastandpresent
.