New research on single-parent renters

12 June 2025

Single-parent renters struggle to assert their rental rights due to being time-poor with significant caring responsibilities, amid tough market conditions, reports new research from Tenants Victoria, the State’s peak body for renters.

Tenants Victoria identified that single parents use its services at lower rates, but are over-represented in certain types of issues more likely to affect their housing security, including family violence, rent arrears, and notices to vacate their rented home.

The research, which was commissioned to show legal and renter support services how to better meet the needs of single parents, also found that among the 19 research participants:

• The high cost of renting, and a perception among single parents that they were not ideal applicants, made single parents hesitant to assert their rights as renters
• 89 per cent of study participants had experienced three or more legal problems
• 69 per cent described raising an issue with their real estate agent or landlord, yet not pushing further when it was not acted upon

Tenants Victoria CEO Jennifer Beveridge said that we must do more to give single-parent renters and their children greater stability in their homes.

‘Victorian rental laws have really improved in recent years. Yet this research shows that some renters, in this case single parents, still have a tough time asserting their rights as renters when they fear being on the landlord’s radar and having to find a new home when rents are so high,’ Ms Beveridge said.

‘If the Victorian Government adopted a rental fairness formula for rent increases, and built more public and community housing, it would go a long way to meaning that all renters can assert the rights that have been legislated’

Ms Beveridge also noted that there was work for legal and community services and real estate agents to do.

‘For legal and community services major barriers to access included their capacity to assist renters, and only being available from 9 to 5. These are also challenges faced by people who want to use Tenants Victoria’s services. With better service design placing the renter in mind and more financial support from Government, we could do more.

‘The research found that open and respectful communication with real estate agents and landlords really helped. It goes to show how important the renter-real estate agent relationship can be.

‘Ultimately, it is the right of every person, including every parent and child, to be well-housed. Single parents should not feel that they have to trade off on housing quality to achieve stability for their family,’ Ms Beveridge said.

Download the full report and condensed report.

Read more about the research.