Australia has more renters than ever. At the time of writing, rents are at record highs and vacancy rates at record lows. People are renting for longer before buying a home, if they can buy at all. More than ever before, the question of how to build healthy, sustainable communities in Australia requires considering the relationships between renters, landlords, and their properties.
Sustainability in rental homes is not only an environmental issue. Inefficient homes compound health and financial problems, especially for people who are already struggling and can only afford low-quality housing. As the climate crisis deepens, these problems will only get worse.
While upgrades to owner-occupiers’ homes are common, rentals suffer from a ‘split incentive’: landlords usually pay for upgrades, while tenants receive the immediate benefit through lower bills and improved comfort. Aligning these interests with the public interest of sustainable housing has become a significant Australian policy problem.
This article won’t tackle this problem, but we will explore what renters can do right now. There’s plenty to say about how landlords can manage their properties wisely, and obviously they have greater agency over the property that they own (see ‘Building a Good News Home’ from MM Aug ’23, or both Jon and Alison’s articles from the MM Dec 2014 edition). However, tenants are not without agency, limited though it may be. (e.g. ‘Reflections from an urban renter’ in MM June ‘10, or even ‘Farming the ‘burbs’ in MM Aug ‘21).
While many tenants feel hesitant to assert their rights or request changes in a tight rental market where insecurity is common, there remain opportunities to produce and consume sustainably in rental homes.
Quick disclaimer:
Tenancy laws across Australia share many principles but do vary a lot. They also change relatively regularly. Before making decisions, it’s a good idea to research the law and get advice from your state or territory’s tenant support services to know where you stand. For example, the Tenants’ Union of NSW and Tenants Victoria websites are founts of knowledge and explain how to get advice. Renters within strata schemes (e.g. apartment blocks) can have additional considerations so should consider their by-laws too. All that to say: this article is intended as idea inspiration, not legal advice!
More than ever before, the question of how to build healthy, sustainable communities in Australia requires considering the relationships between renters, landlords, and their properties.
Tenants’ rights
Tenants often have more rights than they realise, and this is true of sustainability pursuits. Here’s a list of things renters can do:
- Choose an environmentally conscious energy retailer and purchase certified GreenPower. Some electricity plans reward households for shifting energy use outside peak demand periods or participating in demand-response.
- Utilise your right to minimum water efficiency standards.
- Utilise your right to minimum energy efficiency standards if you’re in the ACT or Victoria (and hopefully soon in NSW!).
- Utilise your right to repairs to address issues like water leaks, mould, unsafe appliances and drafts.
- Grow plants in pots and use a contained, portable compost system.
- Make legally recognised requests for minor modifications to install energy efficiency measures at your own expense, such as LED lights, window insulation film, thermal curtains or blinds, and flyscreens to enable airflow. Often landlord consent is required but they must not unreasonably withhold that consent.
- Depending on how the modifications are agreed to and installed, you may be able to take these things with you when you move. Laws vary here, so check the rules or get advice.
- Make legally recognised requests for minor modifications to plant in the ground, within your jurisdiction’s rules. For example, in NSW, landlords must not unreasonably refuse consent for planting if existing vegetation does not need to be removed and the plants will not grow taller than two metres.
- Use plug-in appliances like portable induction cooktops, air fryers, electric frypans, efficient space heaters, and heated lap blankets to reduce gas reliance and electricity use.
- Use small portable off-grid solar or battery systems (though check any strata by-laws and consider safety and practicalities carefully first).
- Participate in community energy initiatives where possible.
- Request a pet or pets, such as chickens. Rules vary by jurisdiction, so do your research, but in some cases a landlord can only refuse for specific (and contestable) reasons.
- Reduce energy consumption in many of the usual ways, like switching appliances off at the wall, using draft stoppers, heating and cooling the home naturally where possible and with appliances only as needed, and so on. There are plenty of resources available on this.
If your landlord tries to block any of the above, you may be able to legally challenge their refusal. Get advice before doing this.
Tenants’ negotiating power
Anything beyond the above list can be done if a landlord agrees to it. Tenants can request and negotiate over the full gamut of home sustainability measures. Ideas include:
- More serious gardening work or planting (e.g. trees) that involves larger changes than the minor modifications rule allows.
- Improving energy and water efficiency (beyond any enforceable minimum standards), such as with insulation, ventilation, heat pumps, electrification of appliances, reverse-cycle air conditioners, external shading, double glazing, better draft sealing, water tanks, greywater systems, rooftop solar, household batteries, EV charging, and so on.
These things might be more complicated in strata properties, but if you can get your landlord or neighbours to raise ideas with the strata committee, you might be able to influence the entire strata scheme.
Some ways to increase the chance of getting a landlord’s agreement to these things include:
- Being a reliable and kind tenant with good relationships with real estate agents, landlords, and neighbours.
- Referring the landlord to government programs that incentivise upgrades. These change regularly and depend on your location, but they often cover things like rooftop solar, hot water systems, insulation, reverse-cycle air conditioners, and household batteries. Victoria has a ‘solar rebates for rental properties’ scheme, and NSW has a ‘solar for apartment residents’ scheme (you would need to get the strata committee on board). The federal Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water ‘rebates and assistance’ website has a form to help find schemes available in your area.
- Offering to share the up-front cost of an upgrade, or agreeing to an ongoing rent increase in exchange for the landlord paying for an upgrade. For example, you could research the size of rooftop solar and/or battery system that suits your energy consumption, estimate how much per week it would save you in energy bills, and offer to pay up to that amount extra in rent in exchange for the landlord installing that system. Stronger rent increase regulations in jurisdictions like Victoria and the ACT may provide additional bargaining power. Of course, think carefully before offering a permanent rent increase.
- Teaming up and making joint requests with like-minded neighbours who have the same landlord or are part of the same strata scheme.
- Mentioning how upgrades would improve the landlord’s property value and reduce maintenance costs and mould risk.
- Explaining your motives and inviting the landlord to make values-based decisions given the health and climate benefits.
- Using the other tips listed on the Tenants Union of NSW webpage, ‘Tips: negotiating with the landlord’. I especially like their suggestion to make the conversation in person if possible – it gives you a chance to build rapport, and it’s harder to say ‘no’ in person!
Make sure to put any agreements in writing.
Tenants can request and negotiate over the full gamut of home sustainability measures.
Changing the law
Whether you’re a renter or not, there are ways to help by campaigning for improvements in the law.
Your state MP is always there for you to call, meet, or write to. This is especially worth doing when relevant issues are in the news due to a recent event or because the government is considering changing the law. I think landlords expressing their support for better sustainability-focused rules for rental properties can be particularly powerful.
I highly recommend subscribing to the newsletter of your state’s or territory’s tenant advocacy body if you have one. They regularly share opportunities to advocate to politicians on all things renting, including sustainability and energy efficiency. In places that don’t have one, local community legal centres or social services peak bodies often also do what they can and are worth supporting.
The ‘Everybody’s Home’ campaign is a must. They provide opportunities to advocate for housing justice generally, including minimum energy standards for rentals. ‘Healthy Homes For Renters’ is another good one, they also have a specific form which they ask supportive landlords to complete.
These groups also occasionally share opportunities for renters to participate in research projects about their experiences and the energy performance of their homes in order to inform policy and campaigns.
Closing thoughts
Lastly, if sustainability changes in your tenancy just aren’t happening for reasons outside your control, you can still channel your enthusiasm into meaningful action in other ways. Consider investing in a ‘solar garden’ (e.g. Haystacks in NSW) as an alternative to having panels on your home, though the financial equation is different. Join a local community garden, repair café, or bush care or environmental advocacy group. If you have the privilege of planning an exit from the rental market, then do some eco-dreaming around your next home. There are plenty of stories in previous editions of Manna Matters to inspire you about co-housing, sustainable buildings, small-scale farming, and more.
Good luck!
Jono lives with his wife Sarita on Dharawal country in the region of the ‘pleasant place near the sea’, the Illawarra. He works as a lawyer at the local community legal centre and enjoys being part of the Central Church Port Kembla community.