As the energy market regulator downgrades its warnings about the risk of power shortages, the tenant advocacy organisation 'Better Renting' says an increasing number of renters are living in energy poverty.
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00:00We know that people out there are doing it tough, renters and of course owner occupiers
00:06as well, but for it to become so normalised that people are struggling through winter,
00:11having to choose between paying rent, paying for food, paying their energy and often ending
00:16up living in a very cold home because of that, it is a real cause of concern.
00:21So what's life like then for people who have to make decisions about whether to turn on
00:25the heating or to switch on the air con?
00:28What we've found is people are just living in the present.
00:31They can't think beyond what the next week's going to look like, can I pay rent when it's
00:36next due?
00:37You're just trying to get by in the present day.
00:40People are giving up on medication, just trying to keep food on the table for their children
00:46and can I afford the energy I need to stay warm in my home and unfortunately it's not
00:51possible for many.
00:53So this will affect vulnerable people in particular Joel, older people, those with young kids,
00:57are there places they can go for help in paying energy bills?
01:02There are in many states and territories, different financial counselling services who
01:06might be able to help people, might be able to find some debt relief or help them to get
01:10on a payment plan and retailers are also obligated to help people there as well, but unfortunately
01:14with often rental homes being so energy inefficient, it's just putting water in a leaky bucket
01:20trying to heat them, trying to deal with the energy costs and that is really the root problem
01:23we have here.
01:24And with the rental market so tight, is there a reluctance among renters to put any pressure
01:29on landlords to improve their living conditions?
01:33We heard from so many renters that they were worried that if they spoke up and said can
01:37you repair the air conditioner, it hasn't been serviced in five years or can we deal
01:40with the mould problem, that they would lose their home and ultimately in this rental market
01:45people would rather stay in their home, even if it's difficult to live in, than risk being
01:48made homeless and in that sort of tight market people have nowhere else to go.
01:54What are the improvements that would make a real difference?
01:56Well, we'd love to see measures like ceiling insulation and efficient heating and cooling
02:01be regulated and required in rental homes.
02:04Where we do see that, we found in our survey, people do have a better experience, so people
02:08who said their home had adequate ceiling insulation were much more likely to be more comfortable
02:12in winter and in summer, so it works when you do it, we just need to get going.