New polling reveals growing support to end no-grounds evictions, with Western Australian voters, including property investors, overwhelmingly backing the change.
WA’s Make Renting Fair Alliance commissioned market research firm Painted Dog to conduct the polling in March 2026.
Of the 761 respondents polled across metro and regional WA:
- 80% support ensuring that tenants can’t be evicted without a reason
- This is up from 74% in 2022.
- Just 3% strongly oppose.
- 72% overall support from residential investment property owners
- 79% support introducing a type of rent stabilisation mechanism (e.g., limiting rent increases to CPI or setting a fixed cap of 2% maximum).
- Just 5% strongly oppose.
- 67% overall support from residential investment property owners
- 84% support introducing minimum standards to rental properties (e.g., insulation, adequate and efficient heating/cooling).
- Just 1% strongly oppose.
- 80% overall support from residential investment property owners
- 85% support increasing access to tenant advice, advocacy, and information.
- 78% overall support from residential investment property owners.
Quotes from Alice Pennycott, Principal Lawyer at Circle Green Community Legal:
“Our new polling shows that there is clear, broad-based support for strengthening protections for renters, including an end to no-grounds evictions and the introduction of minimum standards for rental properties. These results should give the government real confidence to move forward, knowing the community is firmly behind them and ready for change.
“These results show strong support not just from renters, but property investors as well – with 72% of investors supporting an end to no grounds evictions. People understand that a stable, fair rental system benefits everyone.
“Opposition is inevitable with any proposed reforms, and while a vocal minority can sometimes dominate the conversation, this data shows clearly that the broader community recognises these reforms as fair, reasonable, and long overdue.
“Now is the time for the government to take action and bring the rental system in line with community expectations. WA is ready to make renting fair!”
Quotes from Rikki Hendon, UnionsWA Secretary
“Communities across metro and regional WA need a diversity of working people – from cleaners to construction workers, aged care workers to architects, town planners to teachers – to live and work within them to function.
“Right now, too many people in WA are living with the fear that they will not be able to keep a roof over their heads in the places where they work because of no-ground evictions. This uncertainty hurts them and their families, as well the communities and industries that rely on the skills, knowledge and dedication they bring to their jobs.
“A fair rental housing system is critical to a decent, secure and stable life for workers in WA, to enable them to settle, contribute and belong. It is time to lift standards, get rid of no-ground evictions and make renting fair.”
Quotes from Louise Giolitto, CEO of the Western Australian Council of Social Service:
“The numbers speak for themselves. The vast majority of Western Australians understand that ‘no-grounds’ evictions are unfair. Nobody should have to go to bed worrying that they’ll lose the roof over their head for no good reason.
“Implementing minimum standards is essential to protect tenants from poor quality housing, ensure their safety and health, and help renting families to live a decent life.
“Desperation for a roof over their head can drive tenants to sign agreements for properties that are in no condition to be lived in, but low supply issues mean tenants feel they must take what they can get.
“It’s time for this to end.”
Quotes from Mark Glasson, CEO of Anglicare WA:
“As house prices rise further out of reach for many people in this state, more and more people are renting, particularly younger people, older women, and single parents, and the number of people trying to enter the market will only continue to grow.
“While the Residential Tenancy Act reforms of last year increased protections for renters, the dynamic remains significantly unbalanced in favour of landlords and property managers. We constantly hear from renters who are afraid to even ask questions about their rights – who quietly put up with bathroom mould or broken air-conditioning – out of fear it will lead to their lease not being renewed.
“You can’t end somebody’s employment contract without good reason, so why do we allow it when it comes to somebody’s home? If you’re a genuinely bad tenant, there are plenty of provisions for a landlord to act to end the tenancy.
“No-ground evictions are the single biggest contributor to the unfair power imbalance facing renters, and alongside rent stabilisation and minimum standards for rental properties, are desperately needed reforms to WA’s rental tenancy system. They will create a fairer and more equitable system for both renters and landlords and promote longer-term tenancies – based on goodwill and respect – which benefit everybody.”
Quotes from Shelter WA CEO Kath Snell:
“It’s really encouraging to see that the vast majority of Western Australians support these changes to the Residential Tenancies Act.
“Abolishing ‘no‑grounds’ evictions will be a major step forward and finally bring WA in line with the rest of the country. It shouldn’t be a concern for landlords who are already doing the right thing, with valid and reasonable reasons to end a lease still in place – such as selling a property or responding to a breach of the tenancy agreement.
“Ending unfair evictions is one of the most meaningful changes our campaign has been advocating for and will provide safety, security and dignity – a relief for more than 700,000 renting families in WA who currently live in fear that they will lose their home through no fault of their own.
“These changes have been on the table since 2019 and it’s time to move forward and bring our rental system into the modern age.
“At Shelter WA, we’ll continue working closely with our community housing members on all aspects of the proposed RTA changes to make sure the reforms are fair, practical and deliver better outcomes across the sector.”
The Make Renting Fair Alliance is a coalition of 35 peak bodies, frontline service providers, and unions working together for secure, affordable, and healthy homes for the over 700,000 West Australians who rent.
Media contacts:
Sofie 0403 920 301
Lauren: 0422 581 506