When Adelaide student Chanel Trezise moved from regional South Australia to near the CBD for her studies, she didn't ever imagine forgoing medical appointments or fresh food to keep a roof over her head.
"I've always struggled with making ends meet, so that I can pay rent the following week — but it's just getting too much at the moment because of inflation," she said.
Ms Trezise pays more than half of her income for a room in a three-bedroom share house in Adelaide.
She said she was close to moving back to her parents' home 90 minutes away due to financial pressures.
"A lot of the places, medical clinics have stopped bulk-billing, I don't go to the dentist anymore, I'm also really struggling to eat healthy," Ms Trezise said.
"A lot of foods, because of inflation, have been very expensive to buy."
A new report by the Anti-Poverty Network of South Australia, which surveyed 300 people, has detailed the "dire" situation some low-income renters were facing as rental prices increased during a record tight market.
Anti-Poverty Network of South Australia coordinator Pas Forgione delivered the report to SA politicians yesterday and said 44 per cent of low-income earners like Ms Trezise were paying more than half of their income on rent.
"If you're spending more than half of your income in rent you're in a very precarious and stressful situation," Mr Forgione said.
He said the stories that were shared through the survey were concerning.
"We spoke to a renter, their rent was increased $60 a week. She told us she has $18 left after she covers rent and bills," Mr Forgione said.
"The great challenge is not only is your rent high, but you don't know how big your next rent increase will be."
The group is calling on the South Australian government to freeze rent to ease pressure on tenants, similar to what the federal Greens called for in August and the state Greens pushed for in July.
SA Premier Peter Malinauskas said he was particularly concerned about low-income earners and pensioners.
"But we have to be careful about decisions we make in terms of rental freezes," Mr Malinauskas said.
"You don't want a situation where government unwittingly intervenes in the marketplace that undermines investment in future supply.
"That's what we have to balance up very carefully."
