Older Australians living in private rentals disproportionately exposed to housing precarity

Older Australians living in private rentals are disproportionately exposed to housing precarity, with women bearing the heaviest burden, new Swinburne research launched at Parliament House today reveals.

31 per cent of participants living in private rental reported that their homes were both unaffordable and in poor condition, with more women (35 per cent) in living in this type of housing compared to men (27 per cent). Of those living in unaffordable and poor condition private rentals, around 50 per cent experience fair/poor physical health and mental health.

Co-author of the report produced with the Housing for the Aged Action Group, Dr Piret Veeroja from Swinburne’s Housing, Homelessness and Urban Studies Research Group, says that housing can form an accelerator of inequality and precarity.

“Everyone deserves the right to secure and accessible housing, regardless of age. But when people approach retirement years with mortgage debt or living in the private rental sector, their experience of ageing can be precarious.

“Particularly, mid-life and older women pay a higher dual precarity price than men of equivalent ages, especially in private rental tenure, as they reach retirement years.”

Among Australians aged 50-64 years, 16 per cent are living in private rental housing. In those other aged 65 years and above, this impacts nine per cent. Mortgaged housing sits at 43 per cent and 13 per centage respectively, which could also lead to a precarious position especially when life events happen, Dr Veeroja says.

“Households living with fixed incomes may not have the ability to afford housing cost increases as people reach elderly stages of their lives.

“Unaffordable housing can lead to poor mental health outcomes as well as an inability to manage other essential expenses such as food, heating and cooling - all of which can compound in later life.”

Without attention to these issues, Dr Veeroja warns that growing inequalities in housing may further erode the sustainability of the retirement income system, heighten pressures on health and aged-care services, and deepen socio-economic divides across generations.

Dr Veeroja is calling for policy efforts that focus on more effective enforcement, and tenant access to readdress where minimum standards are not met. 

She says support for landlords, particularly in older housing stock, may also be needed to meet evolving standards without passing costs onto tenants.

“Tailored support measures, such as short-term payment relief, refinancing options, and access to financial counselling can help sustain stable housing and prevent forced moves, particularly in regional areas and among women and single-person households where we know disadvantage is disproportionate.

“Expanding the supply of and access to well-located, age appropriate and affordable housing, across rental (including social housing) and ownership models, and exploring alternative housing options that offer greater flexibility and security is essential. 

“Policies need to address these factors and quickly, as the problem is only increasingly impacting our most vulnerable.”