Renters deserve the benefits of electrification

One in three Australians rent. It's time the energy transition worked for them too.

Nearly three million Australian households rent and most of them are locked out of the savings that come with going electric. While owner-occupiers are cutting their energy bills with solar, batteries and efficient electric appliances, renters are stuck paying for whatever old, inefficient, often gas-powered appliances their landlord installed. Only 11% of rental homes have solar, compared to a third of all homes.

The split incentive of landlords paying for home upgrades but renters paying for energy bills makes getting off gas and electrifying rental properties a hard nut to crack.

There's another problem looming too. As more owner-occupiers leave the gas network, fewer customers are left to share its fixed costs and gas bills will rise. Without action, it will be renters who are left behind, paying more for a network they can't leave.

Policy is starting to move. Victoria has legislated comprehensive minimum rental standards from March 2027 - a national first. NSW is now consulting on its own minimum energy efficiency standards. We welcome this momentum. But renters need more than one fix.

What we're calling for

Replace gas with electric at end of life. Minimum rental standards in every state and territory should require that gas hot water systems and heaters are replaced with efficient electric alternatives when they break. Gas cooktops should be replaced with induction. Renters should also be provided with switchboards that support modern energy needs.

Shift gas fixed costs to landlords. Renters carry the full cost of a gas connection - a connection they didn't choose and can't remove. Fixed gas costs should sit with the landlord, the same way water bills already do. This creates a real incentive to get rental properties off gas.

Mandatory energy disclosure. Before signing a lease, renters should know what a home will cost to heat and cool. No state currently requires this. NSW is trialling a voluntary scheme - it should be made mandatory and aligned with minimum standards.

Finance and rebates that actually work. Landlords shouldn't be able to cite cost as an excuse for inaction. We're calling for government-backed loans - repayable at point of sale, not from regular income - alongside targeted rebates and tax incentives for electrification upgrades.

A right to plug in. Renters should have the right to connect portable clean energy devices, including portable batteries, balcony solar and bidirectional EV chargers, without needing landlord permission, as long as the installation meets safety standards. 

What renters can do right now

You don't have to wait for your landlord or your government.

Cooking: A portable induction cooktop sits on your bench, plugs into a standard power point, needs no installation, and starts at around $50. It moves with you when you leave.

Heating and cooling: Ask your landlord about a reverse cycle air conditioner - the health impacts of gas and the legal requirement to service gas heaters regularly are reasonable arguments to raise. Seal gaps under doors and use thermal curtains to reduce how hard any system has to work.

Energy plan: You don't need solar panels to access solar power. From 1 July 2026, all energy retailers in NSW, Queensland and South Australia must offer three free hours of solar energy daily. Shop around at energymadeeasy.gov.au.

Your car: Sixty percent of a household's energy costs go to fuelling a car. Switching to an EV and charging at home via a standard power point is one of the single biggest things a renter can do. No landlord permission required.

What is Rewiring Australia doing to help renters electrify?

• Rewiring Australia is making a submission to the NSW Government's consultation on minimum energy efficiency standards for rentals.
• Mobilising community groups in the lead up to state elections to call for minimum rental standards, aligning incentives for rentals and enabling renters to choose.
• Advocating for federal funding to enable universal access to finance.
• Supporting and researching demonstration projects that test possible solutions such as portable technology pilots & affordable EV charging.

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