Queensland renters are spending the majority of each summer day sweltering in homes above 25 degrees Celsius, according to a new report by tenant advocacy organisation Better Renting.
Executive director Joel Dignam said a survey of 77 renters across Australia found some Queensland homes reached 42.1C, with relative humidity of more than 60 per cent experienced for half the time.
Homes were above 25C for 68 per cent of the time.
He said temperature trackers were used to record temperatures between December last year and February this year.
He said it was "clear that substandard homes expose people who rent to a miserable experience during the hotter months".
"People who rent, especially the more vulnerable people within this community, tend to end up in the worst dwellings," he said.
He said uninsulated ceilings in such dwellings meant renters cooked from above as the roof space heated up.
"Unshaded and untreated windows function like radiant heaters," he said.
"And inadequate, non-existent, or expensive cooling appliances mean that renters have few ways to deal with indoor heat.
"This has negative effects on physical and mental health.
"Renters in hot homes are sweaty and stressed."
The World Health Organization recommends a healthy temperature range inside homes of between 18C and 22C.
It says exposure to high temperatures is linked to increased mental health presentations at emergency departments, suicide risk, and instances of family and domestic violence, as well as cardiovascular and respiratory disease.
Mr Dignam said renters were in a difficult position with no ability to make changes to their home.
He said they were often scared to raise issues with landlords due to concerns about retaliatory rent increases or evictions.
Reducing costs
Queensland Council of Social Services chief executive Aimee McVeigh said the Queensland government could commit to continuing its $175 electricity bill rebate while energy costs remained high.
"This will give Queenslanders more money to spend on energy costs during the year when they need it," Ms McVeigh said.
She said financial support should be provided for the rollout of household clean technology, including energy efficient appliances such as reverse cycle air conditioners and heat pump dryers.
"Queensland's Solar for Renters trial should be expanded to support at least an additional 10,000 private rental properties to install solar," she said.
She said results from the trial showed tenants were on average $600 a year better off after solar was installed, leaving more money for cooling and heating during the peaks of summer and winter.
A virtual power plant installed on 10,000 social housing homes could also help tenants reduce their bills and increase their available spending on energy, Ms McVeigh said.
"Tenants in South Australia have saved more than $400 a year by being part of a virtual power plant," she said.
She said bringing publicly owned renewable energy projects online quickly and offering low-interest loans for energy efficient appliances would also help improve renters' situations.
Law reform consultation
A Department of Communities, Housing and Digital Economy spokesperson said the government was "committed to improving renting in Queensland".
"Queensland has made its position clear in supporting moves towards 7-star energy efficiency as part of the National Construction Code led by building ministers," the spokesperson said.
"We have also delivered Stage 1 of our rental law reforms, which included minimum housing standards, ensuring all rental properties in Queensland meet minimum safety, security and functionality standards.
"Our Stage 2 rental law reforms will consider issues that are important to Queenslanders, and will include consultation with key stakeholders and the community to ensure all Queenslanders can have their say."
