‘Brutal rental market’ sees spike in number of Victorian tenants evicted because they can’t make payments

<p>Affordability at its lowest point in more than decade, with almost 60% of the state’s households receiving a rent increase over 12 months</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2025/apr/30/australia-election-2025-live-housing-crisis-anthony-albanese-peter-dutton-campaign-final-week-labor-coalition-cpi-inflation-ntwnfb">Election 2025 live updates: Australia federal election campaign</a></li><li>Get our <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?CMP=cvau_sfl">afternoon election email</a>, <a href="https://app.adjust.com/w4u7jx3">free app</a> or <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/series/full-story?CMP=cvau_sfl">daily news podcast</a></li></ul><p>The number of Victorian renters receiving eviction notices because they have not paid the rent is five times higher than in 2021, a report has found, underscoring tenants’ increasing struggles to keep up with the cost of living.</p><p><a href="https://www.rentingcommissioner.vic.gov.au/the-rental-sector/research/renting-in-victoria-2024-snapshot">The report from the state’s commissioner for residential tenancies</a>, released on Tuesday, also found that 58% of rental households had received a rent increase in the 12 months to September 2023, up from 29.8% in the previous 12 months.</p><p><strong><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?CMP=copyembed">Sign up for the Afternoon Update: Election 2025 email newsletter</a></strong></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/apr/30/victoria-rent-affordability-housing-crisis-commissioner-residential-tenancies-report">Continue reading...</a>