Hunting for a rental property in WA’s tightest market in 40 years isn’t easy. Of all the private rental properties in Perth, a mere 0.9 per cent were vacant in January, according to the Real Estate Institute of WA. It has resulted in intense competition.
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“It’s crazy,” Ms Peucker said. “There were times when we went to look at a house and we had to park streets away and walk to the property because there were so many people there.”
Renters like Ms Peucker across the state are growing increasingly anxious, with just one month until the COVID-19 emergency period for residential tenancies ends.
On March 30, 2020, the West Australian government imposed a moratorium on most rental evictions and price increases, freezing the normal gyrations of the property market to help those financially impacted by COVID-19. But on March 29, ordinary tenancy laws will apply again, sending a sudden shock through the state that analysts expect will see prices increase by as much as 20 per cent and thousands of tenants face increased rental stress, eviction and even homelessness.
