Essential poll: three in four Australians say rents should be capped to inflation or frozen until economy improves

An Essential poll found 44% of respondents support rent rises no more than inflation and 34% believe rents should be frozen until the economy turns around. Photograph: Dan Himbrechts/AAP

Three in four Australians believe rents should either be capped to inflation or frozen until economic conditions improve, according to the latest Guardian Essential poll.

Presented with choices about rental policies, 44% of the 1,151 respondents supported an annual increase to rents by no more than inflation, while 34% believed rents should be frozen until the economy turns around.