There is no official figure for the rent of a single room in Perth, so nobody can hand you the right number. Price your room the way the market does: find rooms advertised now in your suburb and the ones next to it, compare like with like, and adjust for what you include. Then write the rent, what it covers and how it is paid into the agreement, and check which WA rules apply to you before the first payment.
This guide is for owners letting a spare room and for households replacing a housemate. The WA rules quoted come from Consumer Protection WA and were checked in October 2026. It is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice.
Is there an official rent for a room in Perth?
No. We looked for a public, regularly updated figure for the weekly rent of a single room in Perth and did not find one we could cite. A median rent for a whole house or unit, where you find one, tells you little about one room with a shared kitchen.
That is not a problem. The best evidence for your room is what people are asking, and getting, for rooms like it right now. It also counts in a dispute over a tenancy rent increase. Among the things a WA Magistrate considers, Consumer Protection WA lists "comparable rents for other properties in the area" first, alongside the estimated value of the premises, the cost of upkeep paid by the landlord, the cost of services provided by the landlord (or tenant), the value of the contents the landlord provides for the tenant's use and the general condition of the property.
Rent increases (Consumer Protection WA)consumerprotection.wa.gov.au
How do you find comparable rooms?
Spend an evening on it before you write your ad.
- Search where rooms are advertised. Room-share sites, classifieds, marketplace listings and local room groups. Each one has a different mix of rooms and people, which is why it pays to look at more than one. Where to advertise a room for rent in Perth compares them.
- Stay local. Your suburb and the ones around it. A room near the airport and a room near the beach are different markets.
- Write each one down. Weekly rent, bills included or not, furnished or not, bathroom private or shared, parking, minimum stay, who the house is looking for, and the date you saw the ad.
- Watch how long ads stay up. Come back a week later. A room at a similar price that is still advertised after several weeks suggests the price is high for what it offers. One that disappeared in days suggests the opposite.
Ten or so comparable rooms are usually enough to see a range. Place your room in it honestly: if yours has a shared bathroom and street parking, do not price it against ensuites with a garage.
What makes a room worth more, or less?
Two real ads we read in Perth room groups in September 2026 show why a single "going rate" is misleading. One room was offered at $200 a week without bills, for a FIFO worker, "because you're barely home". Another was $350 a week with bills, parking and a three-month minimum stay. They are not a benchmark, only an example of how much the details change the number.
| What you offer | Why it moves the price |
|---|---|
| Bills included | Power, gas, water and internet in one figure. Simpler for someone away half the time, but cost it before you promise it |
| Furnished | A bed, wardrobe and desk save the newcomer money and a removal van |
| Own bathroom or ensuite | One of the clearest differences between two rooms in the same suburb |
| Off-street parking | Matters to anyone who leaves a car at home for a whole swing |
| Airport or train access | FIFO workers fly every cycle. A short run to Perth Airport, or a station on the Airport Line, is worth something to them |
| Minimum stay and flexibility | A long minimum suits you, a flexible one widens your pool |
| Room size, light, storage, air conditioning | The difference between two rooms at the same address |
| House rules, pets, couples | Each "yes" widens the pool. Each "no" narrows it, which is fine if you price for it |
FIFO workers look for a short list of things: a quiet house, a room that stays theirs while they are away, parking and airport access. Renting out a room in your house in Perth covers what they ask for in detail.
Should you charge a FIFO housemate less?
That is your call, and both answers work if they are written down. A housemate on a two-weeks-on, one-week-off roster is home one week in three. Some Perth hosts price that in and say so, like the ad above. One host offered a different deal: "Happy to discount rent for weeks I'm away if you're happy to dog-sit!" Others charge the full rent every week, because the room is held and cannot be let to anyone else.
Whichever you choose, settle three points before you sign:
- Is the rent the same whether they are home or on site? Write it.
- Do bills change when they are away? If bills are shared rather than included, agree how.
- Can anyone use the room while they are away? Most FIFO workers expect the answer to be no.
Which WA rules apply to the rent you charge?
That depends on what your housemate will be in law. If you own the house and live in it, they are likely to be a boarder or lodger. If you do not live there and let rooms one by one, or you sub-let a home you rent, they are more likely to be a tenant or sub-tenant under the Residential Tenancies Act 1987. Rooming house, boarder or housemate explains the difference.
If your housemate will be a tenant or sub-tenant, the rules are set out by Consumer Protection WA:
- Advertise one fixed rent. Since 16 May 2024, landlords and agents cannot ask or invite tenants to pay more to secure a rental, and properties must be advertised at a set amount, not a price range or a "rent from" figure, according to the WA Government's announcement. It adds that a higher offer can only be accepted if it is offered freely.
- Rent increases: once every 12 months at most. For a periodic tenancy, the tenant must get at least 60 days' notice in writing on Form 10, with the new amount and the day it starts. For a fixed-term tenancy, the agreement itself must say how much the increase will be or how it will be calculated, with the same 60 days' notice. Renewing a short agreement with the same tenant does not reset the clock.
- Rent in advance: two weeks at most, plus a bond of up to four weeks' rent and, if applicable, a pet bond.
- Payments: at least one fee-free way to pay. A landlord cannot charge a late fee or interest, and must give a receipt within three days unless the rent was paid electronically.
Because increases are limited, the starting rent matters more than it looks. Price the room right on day one rather than planning to adjust it in a few months.
Paying rent (Consumer Protection WA)consumerprotection.wa.gov.au
If your housemate will be a boarder or lodger, the Residential Tenancies Act does not apply, as the Commissioner for Consumer Protection explained in September 2025, and Consumer Protection WA says their rights depend on the contract with you. So the agreement does the work: write the rent, the day it is due, how it is paid, what it includes and how and when it can change. Consumer Protection WA suggests a receipt for every payment showing the date, who took it, what it is for and the period it covers. If you provide services such as meals or laundry, it says receipts are required for services costing over $75.
WA has also announced a second phase of tenancy reforms that will regulate the rights and obligations for boarding, lodging and room-by-room accommodation. Check the WA Rent Reforms page before you sign, in case the rules have changed since this guide was checked.
Boarders and lodgers (Consumer Protection WA)consumerprotection.wa.gov.au
What should the rent cover, in writing?
Consumer Protection WA gives boarders and lodgers a list of questions to ask before moving in. Answer them in your ad and your agreement, and most arguments about money never start:
- Does the rent include gas, electricity, water, phone or internet? If not, how are they charged?
- Are linen, laundry or meals included, and what do they cost?
- Is there a safe place to park a vehicle?
- How much notice does each side give to end the arrangement?
- Who cleans the common areas, and what are the house rules?
A written set of share house rules sits well alongside the agreement.
Do you pay tax on the rent?
Usually, yes. The ATO says rent you receive for renting out part of your home is assessable income, and that you can claim expenses related to the rented part only. Renting out part of your home can also affect the main residence exemption from capital gains tax. How that applies to you is a question for the ATO or a registered tax agent, and the main points are in renting out a room in your house in Perth.
Renting out part of a home (ATO)ato.gov.au
Where Kipmates fits
Kipmates is a room-share marketplace launching in Perth, built first for FIFO workers and the households that suit them. A listing shows one weekly rent, the move-in date and an approximate area, never your street address. Seekers put their roster on their profile, so you know how often someone will be home before you reply, and every conversation stays in on-platform messaging. Replying to seekers is always free for hosts, and Kipmates never handles the rent or the bond: that stays between you and your housemate.
During pre-launch, founding hosts can list their room free for the launch period, with no card. Got a room? We've got your back. Start here, or go straight to list a room.
FAQ
How much should I charge for a room in Perth?
There is no official figure. Look at rooms advertised now in your suburb and the ones next to it, compare like with like (bills, furniture, bathroom, parking, minimum stay), and place your room honestly in that range. A room still advertised after several weeks at the same price is a sign the price is high.
Should rent for a room include bills?
It is up to you. "Bills included" is simpler for a housemate who is away part of the time, but cost power, gas, water and internet before you promise it. If bills are shared instead, write down how they are split and whether absences change the split.
How often can I increase the rent for a room in WA?
If your housemate is a tenant or sub-tenant, no more than once every 12 months, with at least 60 days' written notice on Form 10. If they are a boarder or lodger, the Residential Tenancies Act does not apply and the agreement you both signed decides, so write the rule into it.
Can I ask for offers above the advertised rent?
Not for a tenancy. Since 16 May 2024, WA landlords and agents cannot ask or invite tenants to pay more to secure a rental, and must advertise a set amount rather than a range or a "from" price. A higher offer can only be accepted if it is offered freely.
Can I charge a FIFO worker less because they are away?
You can charge whatever you both agree. Some Perth hosts offer a lower rent to a housemate who is barely home, others charge the full rent because the room is held. Write the rent, and whether absences change it, into the agreement.
How much rent can I ask in advance?
For a tenancy, up to two weeks' rent in advance, plus a bond of up to four weeks' rent. For a boarder or lodger, whatever you agree in writing, with a receipt for every payment.
Sources
Checked October 2026.
- Rent increases, Paying rent, Boarders and lodgers, From the Commissioner: boarders' and lodgers' rights explained (17 September 2025) and WA Rent Reforms, Consumer Protection WA.
- Rent reforms begin with ban on bidding wars (16 May 2024), Government of Western Australia.
- Renting out part of a home, Australian Taxation Office.
