Should Heating and Cooling Be Mandatory in Rental Properties? A State-by-State Breakdown

If you’re renting and feel super cold in winter or really hot in summer, you’re not the only one. Lots of rental homes in Australia don’t stay at a safe and comfy temperature—and that can be a big problem. A report by Better Renting found that in winter, some homes were colder than 18°C (the safe level) for nearly 18 hours a day.

In summer, some homes were hotter than 30°C for up to 7 hours a day. Living in places that are too hot or too cold isn’t just annoying—it can make people sick. It’s especially risky for young kids, older people, and those who already have health problems.

If you’re renting and your home is too cold in winter or too hot in summer, you might wonder: Can I ask my landlord for heating or air conditioning? The answer depends on where you live, what your tenancy agreement or lease agreement says, and the local tenancy law.

In this blog, we explain what the rules are in each state and territory in Australia. You’ll learn what landlords or property managers must provide, what your rights are as a tenant, and how you can ask for better heating and cooling in rental properties, including a proper air conditioning system to make your home more comfortable and safe.

Why Heating and Cooling in Rental Properties Matters?

Whether it’s freezing winters or scorching summers, extreme indoor temperatures aren’t just a comfort issue—they’re a health risk, a financial burden, and a matter of basic fairness. Here’s why every renter in Australian homes should care about heating and cooling standards.

1. Health Comes First

Living in a rental that’s too hot or too cold can make you sick. Sadly, many people in Australia deal with this every day.

• In winter, many rental homes get colder than the safe indoor temperature of 18°C for about 17 to 18 hours every day.
• In summer, some rental homes stay hotter than 25°C for over 10 hours each day — and in places like Queensland, temperatures can even reach 30°C inside.
• On average, rental homes in Queensland are about 27.6°C, making them some of the hottest in Australia.

These unsafe temperatures can:

• Make it hard to sleep
• Make breathing problems like asthma worse
• Cause heat sickness or make you too cold
• It can be very dangerous for babies, older people, and those who are sick

2. Heating and Cooling: A Costly Choice

Many renters are forced to choose between comfort and cost. Because rental homes are often poorly insulated or lack efficient heating and cooling, the energy bills can be brutal.

• Renters often try not to use heaters or an AC unit or air conditioning system to save money, even when the weather is very hot or cold.
• Studies show that rental homes can use three times more energy to stay warm compared to homes with good insulation owned by their residents.
• If rental homes had better insulation, draft-proofing, and energy-saving appliances, renters could save about $800 every year on their energy bills.
• But here’s the catch: landlords may need to spend about $5,000 on each home to make these upgrades. Many landlords don’t want to pay this unless the law requires them to do so. This is often seen as part of the landlord’s responsibility under tenancy law.

3. The Fairness Gap

Many renters feel stuck. Even when they really need heating or cooling, they are afraid to ask for improvements because they worry about:

• Their landlord or property manager is saying no
• Their rent is going up
• Or even being kicked out without a good reason

In some states, like Victoria, things are changing. From October 2025, all rental homes there must meet energy efficiency requirements. This includes:

• Heaters and air conditioning units that are fixed in the house
• Good insulation to keep the house warm when it’s cold and cool when it’s hot
• Sealing cracks and gaps so cold or hot air doesn’t sneak in
• Using curtains or blinds to block out the sun’s heat in summer

In the Northern Territory, rental rules are not very strong. Many renters have to live in homes that get very hot or very cold. There aren’t enough laws to help keep them safe and comfortable.

Meanwhile, New South Wales (South Wales) is considering reforms, such as its proposed Heat Smart Plan, which would require:

• Air conditioning systems that are built-in and stay in the home
• Insulation to keep the house warm in winter and cool in summer
• Curtains or blinds that block sunlight and heat
• Sealing cracks and gaps so hot or cold air doesn’t get inside during heatwaves or cold days

Who Should Maintain the HVAC in a Rental Property?

Keeping the heating and cooling (HVAC in rental homes) system working well is important for staying comfy and safe in your rental home. But who should take care of it—the landlord or the tenant? That depends on the agreement you have in your tenancy agreement or lease agreement. Here are three common ways this is done:

Shared Responsibility Model

This is the most commonly used approach, where landlords and tenants share HVAC maintenance duties based on the type and cost of the work involved.

• Tenants’ Role: Tenants do small jobs like changing filters, cleaning air vents, and changing batteries in the thermostat. These little things help the heater and air conditioning system work better and stop bigger problems. This is part of normal wear and tear handling by tenants.
• Landlord’s Role: Landlords have to fix big problems and take care of important parts of the heating and cooling system. They make sure everything works well and lasts a long time through professional maintenance and repairs.

Benefits:

This way, tenants take care of small jobs to stay comfortable, and landlords handle the big repairs. It helps keep the system working well and makes sure the landlord’s home stays in good shape. Everyone shares the work fairly.

Variations:

Some rental agreements let tenants spend a certain amount on small repairs. After that, tenants must tell the landlord or property management who will pay for any bigger costs. This way works best for smaller rentals where it’s easy for tenants and landlords to talk to each other.

Landlord Takes Full Responsibility

In this model, the landlord does all the work to take care of the heating and cooling system. Tenants don’t have to worry about fixing or maintaining anything.

• Tenant’s Perspective: Tenants like this the most because they don’t have to worry about fixing or taking care of the heating and cooling. The landlord handles all the work.
• Landlord’s Perspective: From the landlord’s side, they have to take care of all heating and cooling problems. They need to fix things when something breaks and make sure the system is checked regularly. This can mean more work for the landlord, but it helps keep everything running smoothly and well cared for.
• Best Use Case: This way works best for buildings with lots of homes, like apartment buildings. There, one big heating and cooling system keeps everyone comfortable. The landlord usually includes the cost of fixing and looking after the system in the rent or charges a set fee to cover these expenses.

Tenant Takes Full Responsibility

This way is not used very often but can be needed sometimes. Here, the tenant has to take care of the heating and cooling system completely, including fixing and maintaining it.

• When it Works: This usually happens in shops or offices where tenants need special heating or cooling that is different from others in the building. In these cases, tenants can put in and take care of their own heating and cooling systems all by themselves.
• Residential Application: This is not very common in homes where people rent, but sometimes landlords provide the air conditioning system or heater and ask tenants to take care of it. This can cause the system to be cared for less carefully and might make it break down sooner.

Drawbacks:
This can lead to inconsistent upkeep and potentially reduced system lifespan, which is a concern for both tenants and landlords.

Heating: Which States Make It Mandatory?

In Australia, the rules about heating in rental homes are different depending on which state or territory you live in. Some places have clear laws that say landlords must install fixed heaters. Other places don’t have exact rules about heating, but they do say homes must be “safe This meanand livable.” s whether or not you get heating can depend on where you live. It’s important for renters to know what their rights are so they can stay warm in winter. Below, we explain the heating rules in each state and territory to help you understand what landlords must do.

Victoria

Landlords must provide a fixed, energy-efficient heater in the main living area since March 2023. From October 2025, you’ll also need ceiling insulation, draught-proofing, and cooling systems—phase-in continues through 2030. This could save renters up to $800/year while costing landlords around $5,000 per home.

Tasmania

Since 2016, rentals must include a fixed heater in the living space.

NSW, QLD, SA, WA, ACT, NT

No specific heating rules—but if it’s too cold to live in, it may violate the “habitable” standard under tenancy law.

Cooling: Still Far From Standard

Cooling rules in rental homes are not the same across Australia. Unlike heating, most places don’t have strong laws to make sure rental homes stay cool in hot weather. Many states and territories do not require landlords to install air conditioning units or fixed cooling systems. This means renters can be stuck in homes that are too hot and uncomfortable—sometimes even unsafe. Some places, like Victoria, are slowly bringing in new rules to improve cooling, but most areas still don’t have clear laws. Knowing the rules in your state can help you speak up and ask for a cooler, safer home.

• Victoria
  By 2030, all rentals will require energy-efficient cooling (like split AC or ducted systems) and proper insulation.
• New South Wales (South Wales)
  The Greater Sydney Heat Taskforce is pushing for thermal performance standards, but no laws yet.
• Northern Territory
  Rental laws don’t mandate heating or cooling. Many homes hit dangerously high indoor temperatures during the wet season.
• Other States (QLD, SA, WA, ACT)
  No mandatory cooling yet, though summer still brings hazardous indoor overheating. SA improved general rental standards in 2024, but not yet thermal performance measures.

The Reality: Data & Tenant Voices

Numbers and personal stories reveal the true impact of inadequate heating and cooling in rental properties across Australia. While laws and standards vary, many tenants still struggle with uncomfortable and unsafe temperatures that affect their health and well-being. Let’s take a closer look at what recent research and tenant experiences tell us about living conditions in rental properties—and why change is urgently needed.

• In winter, 72% of rental homes stay below 18°C for most of the day. In New South Wales, homes were actually colder inside than outside for almost 5 hours each day.
• In summer, inside temperatures go above safe levels about 45% of the time. Many rental homes stay hotter than 25°C for over 10 hours a day. Some homes even reach over 40°C in certain states.
• Queensland is the hottest state, with indoor temperatures averaging 27.6°C. Homes there are above 30°C for more than 5 hours each day and hotter than 25°C for 86% of the time.
• In Perth, during a heatwave, homes were hotter than 25°C almost all the time and above 30°C for 37% of the day.
• Across Australia, rental homes can be 3°C hotter inside than outside in summer. Sometimes the inside gets hotter than 30°C even when it’s cooler outside.

Your Plan: What to Do as a Tenant

If your rental home feels too hot in summer or too cold in winter, you’re not the only one—many renters face this problem. But don’t worry, there are things you can do to make it better. Knowing your rights and how to talk to your landlord or property manager can really help. Whether you need repairs, want a heater or air conditioning unit installed, or need advice from a rental help service, this guide will show you the steps to take so you can feel comfortable in your home.

Step-by-Step Guide

• Look at your tenancy agreement. See if it says there is a heater or air conditioning system that stays in the house. If it does, the landlord has to fix and take care of it.
• If your home is too hot or too cold, write a nice note to your landlord or property management asking for things like a heater, air conditioning system for a rental property, or better insulation.
• If it’s very hot or very cold and it feels like an emergency, tell your landlord it is urgent so they fix it quickly.
• If the landlord does not help, you can ask for help from your local rental office. They can help you get the problem fixed or maybe lower your rent.

Everyday Comfort Tips (Budget-friendly):

• Use draft stoppers, thick curtains, or honeycomb blinds to keep cold air out.
• Put rugs on the floor to help keep heat inside.
• Use heated blankets or throws instead of big heaters to save energy.
• Run fans backwards to push warm air down and warm up the room better.

Quick State-by-State Summary

Heating and cooling rules for rental homes are different in each part of Australia. Here is an easy summary to help you see which places require landlords to have heaters or air conditioning units. It also shows what changes are coming soon. This will help you know your rights and make sure your home stays warm in winter and cool in summer.

Final Thoughts

Everyone deserves a rental home that feels comfortable—warm in winter and cool in summer. Even though the rules about heating and cooling might be different in each state, your right to live in a safe and comfortable home is the same everywhere. It’s important to know your rights and speak up if your home is too cold or too hot.

This can help you get the heating or air conditioning system you need. If you don’t know what your landlord or property management must provide or how to ask for repairs or upgrades, don’t worry—there are people and places that can help you understand and get support.

Have questions about air conditioning, heating, or HVAC in a rental property? Contact Answer Air Services, who is here to help you find the answers and make your rental home a place you can truly live in comfort!