Operational challenges and strategies for delivering the built-to-rent housing model in Australia: providers' perspectives

Purpose Australia's housing market continues to grapple with chronic undersupply, declining affordability, and shifting demographic patterns, prompting renewed interest in alternative housing models such as build-to-rent (BTR). While international evidence highlights BTR's capacity to scale rental supply, its adoption in Australia has been constrained by financial, regulatory, and social barriers, with emerging evidence suggesting that the model has yet to function as a broad-based housing solution for mainstream domestic renters. Design/methodology/approach Using thematic analysis of in-depth interviews with seven active BTR providers across Australia, the research identified the key challenges shaping early BTR implementation, including regulatory inconsistency, unfavourable tax settings, planning delays, limited public awareness, and community resistance. Findings The findings also revealed the strategies providers are employing to navigate these pressures, notably refining operating models and enhancing tenant engagement to improve project viability and tenant satisfaction. A recurring tension between the premium cost structures underpinning BTR delivery and the affordability expectations of the broader rental market also emerged as a critical constraint on the sector's capacity to function as a mainstream housing solution. These early lessons are critical for guiding the wider adoption of BTR and supporting the development of a more consistent national framework. Practical implications The study offers practical implications for developers, investors, policymakers, and planners, emphasising the need for coordinated regulatory reform and evidence-based guidance to ensure that BTR can contribute meaningfully to long-term rental supply and housing system stability. Originality/value BTR housing has emerged as a potential solution to address significant rental supply challenges, but most existing research has largely examined prospects and policy frameworks, leaving a limited understanding of the experiences of BTR providers delivering these projects. This study addresses this gap by drawing on in-depth interviews with BTR providers across Australia to highlight the operational challenges and innovative strategies being explored to streamline delivery and improve housing outcomes, while also surfacing new insights on risk mispricing, organisational silos, and the gap between BTR's policy positioning and its current market reality.