This report, Hot Summer Nights, examines the experiences of Renter Researchers in Queensland from December 2023 to January 2024. Drawing on quantitative and qualitative data from 19 research participants in Queensland, we find:
- All rental homes were above 25°C degrees for 86% of the study period.
- Renters’ homes were above 30°C degrees over five hours a day.
- The average indoor temperature was 27.6°C.
Renters described how inadequate housing, which lacked features like ceiling insulation, fly screens, or fans, would regularly be hotter than the outdoors. This led to damaging effects on sleep, with concurrent harms to physical and mental health. Queensland's rental laws, which are weaker than those in other states, made it very difficult for renters to advocate for decent conditions in their own homes.