With only three weeks to find a new rental home in Sydney for her family, Devaki Monani was desperate. She says the competition was fierce.
"When the time came to start a family, we were like, 'Oh, my God, who is really going to give us a place?' And we went to all these inspections, and there were like 15 people rocking up for one apartment."
Ms Monani says she also believes she faced racial discrimination in her search for a rental property.
"In terms of people not wanting to give their places to Indians, because here's a real fear that a lot of Indians -- or us -- we might ruin the place by cooking curry or whatever."
In terms of people not wanting to give their places to Indians, because here's a real fear that a lot of Indians -- or us -- we might ruin the place by cooking curry or whatever.-Devaki Monani
A survey conducted by Choice, National Shelter and the National Association of Tenant Organisations suggests her experience is not unusual.
The survey of 1,000 renters showed many experience anxiety, insecurity and discrimination in the market.
The executive officer of the non-government group National Shelters, Adrian Pisarski, says the rules are unfair.
"There is a real definite and very significant power imbalance between tenants and landlords, and, unfortunately, landlords have the whip hand when it comes to tenancy law."
Of those surveyed, one in seven renters expressed a reluctance to complain or request repairs, fearing a rent hike, blacklisting or eviction.
There is a real definite and very significant power imbalance between tenants and landlords, and, unfortunately, landlords have the whip hand when it comes to tenancy law.-Adrian Pisarski
For urgent repairs, Mr Pisarski says, one in four reported waiting more than a week to get a response.
"The longer people have been tenants, the less likely they are to make a complaint. It says to me that tenants who have been in the rental market for a long time have a bitter experience of making complaints."
Over 80 per cent of the renters were signed to a lease for 12 months or less or did not have a fixed term.
Choice chief executive Alan Kirkland says many renters are in a precarious position.
"The rules make it really easy for people to suffer discrimination at the moment, because people have very little security of tenure. Many people are on rolling leases that go from month to month and can be really easily cancelled. When you get to the end of a lease, if you've got one, your rights are really limited."
Advocacy groups such as the National Association of Tenants Organisations are calling for tighter regulation.
Spokesman Ned Cutcher says the current laws, which allow landlords to evict tenants without giving reasons, should be changed.
"'No grounds' evictions, in every jurisdiction across Australia, is really the key thing that undermines tenants' confidence."
Refugees and migrants don't have the employment, or the rental history, in particular, and so they're kind of very much at the bottom of the queue.-Catherine Scarth
AMES chief executive Catherine Scarth says migrants and refugees can particularly feel the pressures of renting a home, many unable to afford their own property when they first settle.
"Refugees and migrants don't have the employment, or the rental history, in particular, and so they're kind of very much at the bottom of the queue."
As for Devaki Monani, who finally found a home, she says she hopes to be renewing her lease at the end of the year.
"At the moment, we really love this place. We love the suburb. We love the community. We love this apartment. So, at the moment, this is home. But it's like, 'I hope they don't ask us to leave.'"
