New figures paint grim picture for Perth renters
“Rents are rising rapidly and we know affordable suburbs are disappearing at an alarming rate,” Glasson said.
“The numbers speak for themselves.
“We know from our research that the average Western Australian household has paid close to $20,000 a year in additional payments since 2021.
“What was once a housing crisis has now become an economic crisis.”
Glasson warned of the flow-on effect that occurs when households are forced to spend more of their income just to keep a roof over their heads.
“We should all be concerned that the rapid increases in housing costs/collapse in affordability we are experiencing are occurring at a time when the state government is spending unprecedentedly on housing,” he said.
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“Despite this spending, too many West Australians are being dragged into hardship. We need bold, urgent action now if we are to get out of this mess.”
Make Renting Fair WA (a coalition of peak bodies, service providers and unions) has called for the introduction of a rent stabilization mechanism that limits rent increases to the consumer price index or a set formula.
It also called for notice periods for rent increases to be extended; landlords proving why high rents are justified; and ending “unjustified” evictions.
“The WA government began advising on rent stabilization more than five years ago,” Glasson said.
“While the reforms in 2024 reduced the frequency of rent increases from six months to annuals, they did not address the real problem, namely the size of these increases.
“Rents continue to rise without limit, pushing families into debt and homelessness.”
Rents across the country increased by 1.3 percent compared to the December quarter and 5.2 percent throughout the year. The average rent in Sydney was $817 per week, with the cheapest capital to rent in Hobart at $601.
Dalkeith was Perth’s most expensive suburb, with an average weekly rent of $1,577, while the most affordable suburb was Orelia in the City of Kwinana, with an average weekly rent of $473.
