Western Australians Sweltering: Renters Bear the Brunt of Heat and Energy Woes
Western Australian renters are facing a severe crisis, with a recent survey highlighting widespread heat stress and financial anxiety directly linked to keeping their homes cool during the summer months. The “Summer Survey 2026” report by Sweltering Cities reveals a stark reality: nearly four in five renters in WA felt unwell in their homes as temperatures climbed. This figure is significantly higher than the national average, particularly for those residing in properties with poor energy efficiency.
The report identifies a critical intersection of factors contributing to this predicament: the inherent climate of Western Australia, coupled with the quality of housing and escalating cost-of-living pressures. Properties with inadequate insulation, unglazed windows, and outdated or inefficient appliances are proving to be a breeding ground for discomfort and health risks.
The Heated Reality for WA Renters
Western Australia is no stranger to long, dry summers and intense heat. While the past summer may not have been the most extreme on record, even “average” conditions in WA can place a substantial strain on residents’ health, their homes, and their finances. The Sweltering Cities report unequivocally states that heat risk in Australia is not randomly distributed; instead, it disproportionately affects those living in substandard housing, facing financial hardship, and possessing existing health vulnerabilities.
Beyond the health impacts, the financial burden of cooling homes is a major concern. The survey found that almost 60 per cent of both homeowners and renters across WA reported that cost-of-living pressures made it more difficult to cool their homes during heatwaves. For those who do own an air conditioner, the prohibitive cost of electricity often prevents them from using it, creating a cruel paradox where a solution to the heat becomes unaffordable.
Energy Bills: A Source of Daily Dread
The financial stress associated with keeping cool is particularly acute for renters. When questioned about their worries regarding energy costs during summer, a staggering 44 per cent of renters admitted to daily concerns. This figure climbs even higher for renters in low-energy efficiency housing, with 50 per cent experiencing daily anxiety about their electricity bills.
The report links this surge in energy bill worries to broader economic pressures, exacerbated by changes in government energy bill relief measures. The removal of the $400 household electricity credit in the state’s 2025-26 budget is cited as a contributing factor. Despite a reported decline in the cost of energy production, Australian households are not seeing these savings reflected in their bills. Alarmingly, the report highlights that over 331,000 households are currently in energy debt, while Australia’s two largest energy companies have collectively amassed profits of $2 billion. This stark contrast between soaring corporate profits and rising consumer bills is a key point of contention.
The Voice of Renters: Calls for Urgent Reform
Advocacy groups are echoing these concerns and calling for immediate action. Chantal Caruso, spokesperson for Make Renting Fair, points to previous research by her organisation, which indicated that 56 per cent of WA renters struggled with temperature regulation in their homes. This figure escalates to 79 per cent for public housing tenants, underscoring the critical need for improvements in social housing stock. Much of WA’s existing social housing is ageing, inefficient, and costly for tenants to maintain at comfortable and safe temperatures, as also highlighted in Shelter WA’s Pre-Budget Submission 2026-27.
Caruso emphasises the dire situation for those with the least power to enact change: “Extreme heat is dangerous for anyone but especially those who have the least power to do anything about it.” She describes hearing daily accounts of renters enduring uncomfortable temperatures with no recourse to improve their living conditions. The burden often falls on renters to purchase and install their own cooling solutions, such as portable air conditioners or fans for every room, a situation Caruso deems “outrageous and not their responsibility.”
She recounts a personal experience during a heatwave where her bedroom temperature at night reached a scorching 37 degrees Celsius. Caruso asserts that WA has “the worst standards in Australia when we should have the best.” She points to the state government’s 2019 promise of significant reforms to minimum rental standards, noting that the current standards date back to 1987. While acknowledging the impact of COVID-19, she questions the prolonged delay and the lack of urgency surrounding these essential reforms.
Essential Improvements and Future Hopes
Caruso advocates for the inclusion of basic necessities in minimum rental standards, such as:
- Mandatory air conditioning or fans in all rental properties.
- Provision of fly screens, as a significant portion of renters currently lack them.
- Requirements for proper insulation to improve energy efficiency.
Looking ahead, Caruso expresses hope for tangible action on these reforms this year. She also anticipates that the state budget will introduce new cost-of-living initiatives specifically designed to benefit those most in need. The current situation for many Western Australian renters is untenable, and urgent legislative and budgetary interventions are required to ensure safe, healthy, and affordable living conditions, particularly during the state’s challenging summer months.
