Tasmania’s Rental Property Shortage Revealed In New Findings

It’s not just Hobart which is feeling the grunt of Tasmania’s rental crisis.

According to a list released by Rent Rabbit, coastal towns and Launceston suburbs are also experiencing a shortage of rental homes, making it near impossible to secure property.

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Rent Rabbit listed Kings Meadows, Moonah, Mowbray, Rokeby, Ulverstone, West Moonah and Wynyard as suburbs in need of more rental properties.

RentRabbit.com.au co-founder Ben Pretty told The Mercury rental crisis was one of the biggest issues facing Tasmanians right now.

“There are many suburbs across Tasmania where vacancy rates are very low and tenants are struggling to find somewhere to live,” he said. 

“For affluent tenants in more privileged suburbs, they at least have more options in terms of where they can live, especially as many of them are knowledge workers who can work remotely.

“But for the many tenants who have low household incomes and who live in socio-economically disadvantaged areas, they’re really struggling right now and have very few options.”

Tasmania’s top seven suburbs in need of rental properties:

Kings Meadows – rental vacancy rate: 0.5 per cent, rent share of household income: 43 per cent, median rent price $440, median income $1027
Moonah – zero per cent, 50 per cent, $510, $1015
Mowbray – 0.3 per cent, 51 per cent, $400, $783
Rokeby – zero per cent, 53 per cent, $425, $888
Ulverstone – zero per cent, 43 per cent, $380, $878
West Moonah – 0.3 per cent, 46 per cent, $495, $1086
Wynyard – 0.4 per cent, 43 per cent, $380, $882

A statement from the Tasmania Government said it was responding to rental crisis with its 10-year, $1.5 billion housing packing.

This year alone has a dedicated $204 million of the overall package.

“We have already delivered 1,127 additional new homes, lots of land and new places of supported accommodation and homelessness services since July 2019. We are on track to meet our target to deliver 1,500 homes by June 2023 and rising to a total of 10,000 new homes by 2032."

“But we also know that there are Tasmanians who are doing it tough and need support right now. That is why we are investing more than $36 million on wrap-around services to ensure those who need help now are getting the services they need. This includes funding for 17 existing Specialist Homelessness Services, including Housing Connect Front Door and support, as well as crisis shelters and supported accommodation.”

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