Floods, rental crisis leaving tenants in the lurch

Renters have few protections when their homes are hit by flooding, an inquiry has been told. (Dave Hunt/AAP PHOTOS)

Tenants are staying in damaged, unsafe properties rather than risk being forced out by landlords in the wake of floods and wild weather, an inquiry has heard.

Instead of pushing for repairs to flood-damaged properties, in some cases landlords have terminated leases on the grounds their property is no longer habitable, leaving tenants homeless, a federal parliamentary inquiry was told.