00:02It's an all-too-familiar feeling at inspections across the country.
00:06It's a tricky and stressful process, I think, for anyone involved.
00:09For the last five years, tenants have been dealt increase after increase.
00:13And once again this quarter, national rents have risen.
00:16It's hard to find a balance of what you need versus what you can afford.
00:21Fatality data found the median rent is now $713 a week across Australia.
00:27That's up 0.5% in the three months to September, a smaller increase than the March and June quarters.
00:33Experts say renters have hit their limit.
00:35Renters are just starting to tap out.
00:37That's shown today at an inspection in inner Sydney's desirable Alexandria.
00:41No one showed up.
00:43Realtors say many are choosing to stay in the family home longer or opting for crowded share houses,
00:48while falling migration numbers is also weakening demand.
00:52That's led to a rise in vacancy rates to 2.1%, the highest since January 2025.
00:58But experts warn against seeing that as relief.
01:01A healthy vacancy rate is around 3.3%.
01:04So we're still well below that level.
01:06So I think for renters, they're still facing very tight rental markets and a shortage of supply.
01:11In most states, prices stalled or rose slightly last quarter.
01:15Sydney was the only capital to actually see a decline, dropping 0.4%.
01:19But tenancies in the Harbour City remain the most expensive in the country.
01:23Meanwhile in Darwin, prices leapt by nearly 6%.
01:27The data is fuelling calls for government intervention, with rents still rising at a higher rate than incomes.
01:33Campaign groups say caps on rental increases and better investment in public and community rentals are needed now more than
01:40ever.
01:40It's never been more dire for renters.
01:42The fact that this last quarter, things got worse a bit more slowly than they normally do.
01:47Being treated as good news for renters is a sign of how disconnected our debate is.
01:51For now, for so many, the search and the struggle goes on.
01:54On the other hand, let's go.
01:55Let's go.
01:55Let's go.
01:55Let's go.
01:56Let's go.
01:57You
