Housing crisis forcing majority of Australians to choose between rent and survival

An alarming 60 per cent of Aussies are experiencing housing stress or insecurity, with a staggering amount of homeowners and renters forgoing heating or cooling, meals, even doctors appointments, just to keep a roof over their heads.

The latest Everybody’s Home report ‘Breaking Point’ surveyed over 1100 Aussies ahead of the festive season, and it revealed the “drastic” measures many were taking to stay on top of housing costs alone.

“Housing costs in Australia are so high that people are making drastic trade-offs to cling onto keeping a roof over their heads – from reducing energy use and driving, to skipping meals and delaying doctor appointments,” Everybody’s Home spokeswoman Maiy Azize said.

“The housing crisis is reshaping how Australians live.

“Sacrifices like these might be expected in a war or pandemic – not today in one of the richest countries on earth, where governments have the power to fix the housing crisis.

“These trade-offs expose just how unfair the housing market is and how deep the crisis runs. “Australians shouldn’t have to make huge sacrifices just to prop up landlords or compensate for government policy failure and inaction.”

The survey revealed that three in five of those surveyed (60%) were experiencing housing stress or insecurity.

Of those surveyed 50 per cent had reduced their energy use including heating and cooling in the past year, making it the most common sacrifice.

Aussie homeowners and renters are forgoing heating and cooling just to stay afloat. Picture: istock

---

A whopping 42 per cent had avoided doctors and other appointments, 38 per cent had reduced driving, 30 per cent had relied on credit cards or ‘Buy Now, Pay Later” schemes and 28 per cent had skipped meals.

Others are delaying medical treatment and other appointments. istock

---

Twenty per cent had sought help from food banks or charities.

Fifty per cent said the condition of their home had either made them or someone in their household sick (23%) or they were unsure (27%).

Many had no external wall insulation (90%), draught sealing like door seals (83%), ceiling insulation (63%), working heater (46%), or working air conditioner or cooler (38%), the report revealed.

“Our survey shows the most common way respondents are coping with rising housing costs is by cutting back on energy use,” Ms Azize said.

“People are spending record amounts to stay housed, but many can’t afford to be comfortable, healthy and safe in them.

“Australians are forced to freeze in winter and swelter through summer because they’re sacrificing comfort to afford their housing costs, and because they live in substandard homes that lack basic heating, cooling, and insulation.

“Energy hardship stems beyond rising electricity bills, it’s also driven by poor housing conditions.

“Leaky insulation, draughty windows and inefficient appliances increase energy use and push costs even higher.

“Without basic rental standards, Australians will continue to be hit with soaring energy bills and get sick from homes that are overheated, freezing, or plagued by mould and damp.

Ms Azize said the stories they were hearing were “heartbreaking”.

Nearly 30 per cent said they were skipping meals to meet housing costs. istock

---

“One person told us that temperatures in their home makes their pain hard to manage, while another is limiting showers to once a week and laundry loads to once a month to afford the rent,” she said.

“Any federal plan to reduce power prices must include lifting home energy efficiency and enforcing minimum standards.

“If not, Australians will keep footing huge energy bills and remain trapped in unsafe homes that pose serious risks to their health and wellbeing.

“Australians deserve a national framework for liveable homes, with proper heating, cooling, insulation, ventilation, and repairs that are enforced by inspections not left to tenants to fight for.

“Governments must also invest in upgrades to older rentals and social housing, including energy-efficient heating, insulation, draught-proofing, and solar, to cut bills, improve health, and make homes comfortable for low-income households.

“We also need the federal government to invest in more social housing – these are low-cost rentals that people can actually afford.”

MORE: Shock move ‘forcing out’ these Aus workers

One bank hikes twice: 12 raise rates before Christmas

Shock call: 17 new boom suburbs named

Others were leaning on food banks and charities. Picture: Shae Beplate.

---

The Everybody’s Home report comes just days after Anglicare Australia released national heatmaps showing where essential workers like nurses, cleaners and hospitality workers can’t afford to rent in major parts of the country, sparking new calls to reform investor tax breaks.

The charity analysed more than 51,000 rental listings and tested them against the wages of 16 frontline occupations, finding the very people who keep the country running are being priced out of their own communities.

“Essential workers keep our communities running, yet many can’t afford a place to live,” Anglicare Australia executive director Kasy Chambers said.

“We need tax reform that puts people in need of a home, not just investors, at the centre of our housing system.”

Essential workers are being priced out of their communities. istock image

---

The latest PropTrack Home Price Index revealed that national home prices rose a further 0.5 per cent in November, pushing values to a new record level.