A new Generation Rent is emerging in Australia. Already more than one in 12 Australian households – many families among them – find that private renting no longer leads to home ownership but is a long-term or permanent reality, exposing them to such risks as forced moves at short notice. Despite the group’s large and growing size, little is known of its characteristics or the consequences for children and adults.

Starting with a survey of 600 private tenants in Sydney and Melbourne, this project will probe why people become long-term renters, how far they are able to make a home and exercise some control over their circumstances and the ways in which long-term renting affects their wellbeing. Yielding new analytical insights into the long-term effects of housing insecurity, the study will also inform housing policy.