‘The scariest thing is insecurity’: Australia’s renters over 50 fear uncertain future, report shows

Nearly three-quarters of renters over 50 fear an expensive and unstable future with spiralling housing costs resulting in insecurity, according to a new report by one of Australia's largest charities.

Anglicare Australia recently polled 500 over-50s about their housing circumstances, hopes and fears. The subsequent report, Ageing in Place: Home and Housing for Australia's Older Renters, released on Tuesday, revealed housing costs are the biggest barrier to older renters staying settled in the same place as they age.

Most people - 87% of those surveyed - wanted to remain at home as they aged, and more than 78% of those over 55 wanted to live in their own home rather than move into residential aged care.

But 72% of those living in a private rentals saw housing costs as a barrier to ageing in place, compared to 4% of those who owned their own homes outright. Even for those still with a mortgage, only 11% saw cost as a barrier. For those who owned their own home, the barriers were more likely to be health-related, along with the inability to modify their home for accessibility and safety, and other rising costs of living.

Anglicare's most recent rental affordability snapshot showed that a couple on the age pension could afford only 1.4% of the properties available for rent. Comparably high prices meant retirement villages were also not an option for most older renters, the survey found.

Wendy Morris, 75, who lives in "a tiny rented granny flat in the Perth Hills" that she found through Gumtree, said the private rental system was broken.

Morris moved into her flat five and half years ago. In the preceding 14 years, she had moved 11 times, most of the time because the landlord was either selling the property, or wanted to raise the rent beyond what Morris could afford on the age pension.

While Morris has recently received a windfall that will enable her to buy a property, life as a long-term older renter has made her acutely aware of what others her age are facing.

"There are simply no affordable rentals for anyone on a pension. If I were given notice tomorrow, [and had not received this windfall] I would have to share a house. That's what it comes down to," Morris said.

Most rental homes do not meet basic accessibility standards. Only 46% of those renters surveyed said their home would suit an older person with limited mobility, compared to over 70% of those who owned their own home. Renters were often prevented from making modifications by the need to get landlord permission and insecure leases made them question whether it was worth it.

While the recently updated National Construction Code now includes minimum accessibility standards, they are only mandatory for states and territories that have adopted those clauses. New South Wales and Western Australia have refused.

The Anglicare report recommended strengthening renters' rights, government support for long-term lease trials, building social housing specifically for older people, and piloting more equitable, innovative housing models, such as rental cooperatives and cohousing models seen in Denmark.

It also argued that Australians should have the right to access aged care services no matter where they live, regardless of their accommodation status.

The report also recommended indexing the commonwealth rent assistance payment to average rents by location. "A one-off increase will not be enough," the report said, arguing a simple raise to the CRA "should not be mistaken for a systemic or long-term solution".

"This is at a time of life when stability is more important than ever," said Anglicare Australia executive director, Kasy Chambers. "Everyone should be able to live life to the fullest as they get older. For most people, that means ageing in their own home, but the housing crisis is locking more and more Australians out of that dream."