Hotter summers, hotter homes
08/10/2026 • Brendan Ross
NSW summers are getting hotter, and extreme heat is becoming more frequent. For many renters, that means homes that are harder and more expensive to keep cool during the hottest months of the year.
Across Australia, unusually hot months are becoming much more common. Very high monthly daytime temperatures now occur around six times as often as they did between 1960 and 1989, while very high night-time temperatures occur around five times as often (State of the Climate 2024, Bureau of Meteorology and CSIRO). In NSW, hotter conditions are expected to increase the frequency, intensity and duration of heatwaves (Extreme climate and weather, NSW EPA).
These changes are increasingly being felt inside people's homes. 2024 research by Better Renting found that NSW rental homes were above 25°C for more than 12 hours a day on average during summer and were hotter inside than outside more than 40% of the time. NSW renters also experienced the highest indoor humidity levels recorded in the study. Better Renting is seeking participants for the 2026 round now!
The quality of the home matters
Heat affects much more than comfort. It can disrupt sleep, affect health and make everyday life harder. During extreme heat, poorly performing homes can also increase the risk of heat stress, particularly for people who spend long periods at home or have existing health conditions.
Poorly insulated or thermally inefficient homes can heat up quickly, stay hot for longer and require more energy to cool. Temperatures can remain high well into the evening, giving little relief when people are trying to rest and sleep.
Renters have described moving mattresses into cooler rooms, spending time in shopping centres or libraries to escape the heat, worrying about electricity bills, or simply living in uncomfortable temperatures when they cannot afford to run air conditioning. Many also report struggling to sleep, feeling exhausted during the day, and feeling trapped in homes that offer little relief from the heat.
Daniel experiences ever-hotter summers with 80-100% humidity in a rental home with no AC or fans. To stay cool, he sometimes takes three cold showers a night because his type 2 Diabetes makes it hard to sleep in such heat Daniel said, "If I had the money, I would move from Sydney." He believes the government should intervene to get rid of mould as it is so dangerous. In winter, Daniel layers clothes to save money on heating. – Daniel is a social housing renter who participated in our Renters Forums in 2024.
Heat stress in homes is shaped not just by the temperature, but by housing quality and a renter's financial capacity to respond. While there are some techniques or hacks (see for example Better Renting’s Coping Cookbook or the recent article on Practical steps to eco-renting in this blog) renters generally have little control over the insulation, shading, ventilation and other features that determine whether a home remains safe, comfortable and affordable during extreme heat.
For renters already under financial pressure, staying cool can compete with other essentials. Some ration their use of air conditioning or go without altogether because they are worried about the cost of running it.
Safer social housing for a hotter climate
These challenges can be particularly significant for people living in social housing. Many social housing tenants are on lower incomes and may have fewer options if their home becomes difficult to live in during periods of extreme heat.
Research in Greater Sydney (Science Direct) found that all of the social housing households studied experienced indoor temperatures at or above the recommended thermal safety threshold of 29°C during summer. In one extreme case, temperatures remained at or above 35°C for more than 11 consecutive hours and peaked at 42°C.
Social housing is intended to provide people with a secure and affordable home. As temperatures rise, that should include a home where people can sleep, rest and go about everyday life without constantly managing the impacts of heat.
In 2024, Homes NSW introduced a heating and cooling policy for the properties it owns and manages. The policy provides for reverse-cycle air conditioning and solar in new homes where possible, as well as ceiling fans in living rooms and bedrooms. It includes a range of upgrades to existing homes, although these remain subject to factors including available funding.
What needs to change
Without further investment, many social housing tenants will continue to cope with extreme heat in homes that do not provide adequate protection from it. Priority should be given to upgrading existing social housing, backed by the funding needed to deliver those improvements, while also introducing minimum energy efficiency standards for private rental homes.
In practice, this means homes that are properly insulated, free from major draughts and leaks, have effective ventilation and shading, and include efficient heating and cooling that can keep indoor temperatures safe and comfortable throughout the year without forcing renters to pay excessive energy costs.
Every renter should be able to expect a home that meets a minimum standard of thermal performance and is safe, healthy and affordable to run, regardless of whether they live in social housing or the private rental market. Renters should be able to benefit from healthier, more efficient homes without facing higher housing costs as a result.
As NSW summers continue to get hotter, the quality of rental housing will become increasingly important. No renter should have to choose between staying cool and paying for other essentials, or feel trapped in a home that cannot provide relief from extreme heat. Everyone deserves a home that is safe, healthy and able to provide protection from the weather outside.
As we head towards the NSW State Election the Tenants' Union will be calling on each of the political parties to commit to improving minimum quality standards and legislate to implement minimum energy efficiency standards for rental homes. Keep an eye out for our election campaign launching in October and we hope you will join us in loudly and boldy advocating for a fairer renting system.
