Perth’s Falling Vacancy Rate: What Mandurah Landlords Should Check

When rental supply tightens, it is tempting to assume every investment property should achieve a higher weekly rent. For a Mandurah landlord, the more useful question is what the available evidence says about your particular home, its next lease and the cost of leaving it empty.

REIWA’s October reporting offers important context for that conversation. It does not replace a local rental appraisal or the terms of an existing tenancy.

The latest Perth rental figures, in context

In its update published on 13 October 2026, REIWA reported a Perth vacancy rate of 1.7 per cent for September, following 2.2 per cent in July and 1.9 per cent in August. It also reported that Perth properties were leasing in a median of two weeks. Those figures describe Perth; they do not establish a Mandurah vacancy rate or promise a leasing time for an individual property.

A separate REIWA quarterly update reported Perth median weekly rents of $750 for houses and $700 for units, with those figures correct as at 2 October. They are broad reference points. A rental home in Meadow Springs, a Halls Head villa and a Lakelands family home still need their own comparison sets.

Check the competition at the point you will be leasing

Start with homes offering a similar combination of location, bedrooms, bathrooms, parking, condition and outdoor space. Compare what is currently available with evidence of recently leased properties wherever that information is available. Asking rents alone do not show the final rent agreed or how long the property remained empty.

Timing matters too. An appraisal prepared well before a lease ends is a planning tool. If the property will be advertised later, review the competing stock again before launching. Maintenance, access and the presentation of the home should be ready for the intended campaign date.

For a property with distinctive features, ask how those features influence the likely tenant audience. An extra living room, secure parking or easy-care garden may matter more to one household than another. The listing needs to make the practical benefits easy to understand.

Two real Peel leases show why the details matter

Two separate Beshay Realty leased listings in South Yunderup provide a useful illustration of why a Perth-wide rental headline cannot price an individual home. 4 Kombu Way, a three-bedroom, two-bathroom dwelling, was recorded as leased for $560 per week. The separate 4A Kombu Way, with two bedrooms and one bathroom, was recorded as leased for $500 per week. Both published listings identify fixed-term tenancies commencing 10 February 2026.

These are historical Beshay Realty lease examples, not homes available now, a Mandurah rental median or a prediction of what either property would lease for in October 2026. Different accommodation, current competing listings, condition and tenancy circumstances still need a fresh property-specific assessment.

Calculate the cost of waiting for a higher rent

Consider a simple illustration, rather than a forecast for a particular home. At $650 per week, a two-week vacancy represents $1,300 in rent not received. An extra $20 per week produces $1,040 over a full 52 weeks before other costs. In that example, the higher weekly figure would not recover the cost of those two empty weeks within the first year.

This does not mean a landlord should automatically accept less. It shows why the asking rent and likely vacancy period need to be assessed together. A clear recommendation should explain the evidence for the proposed rent, how the response will be reviewed and what would trigger a change.

Put the existing tenancy into the plan

If the home is occupied, begin with the current agreement, the tenant’s intentions and any outstanding maintenance. A reliable tenancy has practical value that a suburb-wide headline cannot measure. An occupied home also requires a different plan from one that is already vacant and ready to inspect.

A market headline does not authorise an immediate rent increase for an existing tenant. WA Consumer Protection’s rent-increase guidance explains that residential increases are generally limited to once every 12 months and require at least 60 days’ written notice on Form 10. For a fixed-term tenancy, the agreement must also provide for an increase and specify the amount or how it is calculated. Ask your property manager to check the tenancy agreement, last increase date and current legal requirements before serving a notice.

Clear communication gives both the owner and tenant time to prepare. It also helps identify repairs or scheduling issues before they become an avoidable gap between tenancies.

Use the update to ask better questions of your manager

Ask which comparable homes support the rental recommendation, what preparation is needed and how enquiries and applications will be reported. You should understand who is responsible for outstanding work and when the next decision needs to be made.

For owners across Mandurah and the Peel region, Beshay Realty can discuss the property, its current arrangements and a leasing plan based on relevant local evidence. Read about our Mandurah property management service and approach to leasing, or request a rental appraisal through our dedicated landlord form. If you are reviewing your current agency, our guide to changing property managers covers the handover questions to consider.

Sources: REIWA’s September vacancy-rate update, published 13 October 2026, and September quarter market update, published 19 October 2026. Article prepared 25 October 2026. Practical interpretation and the vacancy-cost example are original Beshay Realty commentary. The example is illustrative, not an estimate for a specific property.