Australia's rental market has never been more demanding. According to SQM Research, the national residential vacancy rate stood at just 1.0% in early 2026 — the tightest it has been in over a decade. For renters, this means fewer choices, steeper competition, and an almost irresistible pressure to "just sign and move in." That urgency, however, can lead good tenants into costly, stressful, and entirely avoidable situations. 10 most critical rental red flags for tenants that y