Desper-rent: One in four tenants go to extreme lengths to find homes

New Daily
Jan 22, 2025


Renters have been forced to pay soaring rents or move further out.   



Since the Covid-19 pandemic, a combination of low housing supply and high interest rates have led to a significant housing crisis across Australia.

This crisis has disproportionately affected renters, as more Australians have been forced to pay soaring rents or move further out of the cities.


Research by Finder has found – to combat the difficult rental market – that one in four tenants has gone to extreme lengths to secure a property

A survey of renters found that one in 10 (8 per cent) offered to pay more than the rental asking price and 7 per cent offered to pay several months upfront.   

Natasha*, 32, a graphic designer from Melbourne, was recently searching for an inner-city rental and said there was an unspoken pressure to offer above the asking price.

“At first we were applying and putting the rental price that was advertised on the application and then we quickly realised we needed to bump up the price just to be considered on the application,” she said.

“It wasn’t explicit, but you felt you didn’t have a chance unless you were able to pay more than what was advertised.”

Natasha and her partner, both professionals working full time, applied for seven properties before they were finally successful.

“It was very competitive,” she said.

“At many of the places we looked at there were at least 50 parties moving through the property in a 15-minute block.”



A survey of tenants found that 8 per cent offered to pay more than the asking rental.


To stand out from the competition, the couple also ensured they had months of rental fees saved up in case they needed to pay in advance.

“We made sure we had three months worth of savings so that we were ready to put a down payment on the property, which we actually did do,” she said.

“We were lucky to be able to do that. If I was on a single income, that would have been much harder to pull off.”

Finder home loans expert Richard Whitten said many of the additional measures taken by tenants were driven by a desperation to secure a rental in a difficult market.

“Low vacancy rates up until last year would have driven a lot of this scramble, leaving prospective tenants feeling panicked,” he said.

However, he was positive about outlook for the market.

“The good news is the rental crisis has started to ease, with vacancy rates bouncing back and asking prices subdued across much of the country,” Whitten said.

The research also discovered that 6 per cent of renters had lied about their income on an application form, 7 per cent lied about pet ownership, and another 6 per cent had taken out a personal loan to pay their rent upfront.

Whitten warned against this strategy to secure a property.

“Don’t fall into the trap of paying more than you can afford before you even move in, as that could quickly land you in hot water,” he said.

“When looking for properties, consider broadening your search area or looking slightly below your budget to increase your options.”

When it came to giving advice to prospective tenants, Whitten said preparation was key.

“Make sure your application is ready to go with all the necessary documents such as proof of income and references,” he said.

“Be prompt and professional during inspections, as first impressions count.”

*Surname omitted for privacy

Well the answer to soaring rents and cost of living crisis certainly wasn’t Albo greatest bungling of opening the country up to record immigration was it?

Albo must go go

But wait what about Mr Dutton?.  Now we must ask the question if the coalition get in, what will they cut?.