Brimbank a refuge for struggling renters

Brimbank has the fifth-highest number of affordable rental properties in metropolitan Melbourne for people on Centrelink payments, with three-bedroom properties in St Albans and Deer Park among the cheapest in the city.

The Department of Human Services’ 2015 Rental Report for the March quarter, which charts median rent prices, revealed Brimbank had 332 of its properties (29 per cent) in the most affordable price range, while Melton came in first with 455 (51.7 per cent).

While the median rent for metropolitan Melbourne remained stable at $370 per week, three-bedroom properties in St Albans and Deer Park were among the cheapest at $310.

The largest decrease in average rent over the year to March for three- bedroom properties included Keilor at 2.7 per cent.

Median rents for north-west Melbourne were below the metropolitan average at $350 a week.

In Brimbank, over the past five years, there was an almost 40 per cent rise in the number of “active-rental properties”.

However, in metropolitan Melbourne, rent increases for two-bedroom flats over the past year were led by Sydenham (nine per cent) closely followed by Sunshine (eight per cent).