But life in substandard rental accommodation is all too common, according to a Victorian Council of Social Service (VCOSS) report.

Maribyrnong resident Mohammed Halim and his two flatmates were given the fright of their lives when their kitchen ceiling collapsed on January 20.

An SES volunteer who attended the scene said it appeared the ceiling was struggling under the weight of new insulation that had been laid over the top of old insulation.

The home, visited by The Mail, was generally in a poor state of repair and has been deemed uninhabitable.

The trio, who pay about $1100 a month for the three-bedroom weatherboard in Maribyrnong, have to be out by today. They have found alternative accommodation but with no help from their landlord.

A VCOSS report into affordable rental properties found that of 116 homes surveyed, one in 10 was uninhabitable.

Results in the Decent Not Dodgy report were taken from a survey of 116 privately owned properties in 54 suburbs across Melbourne - including in Maribyrnong, Hobsons Bay, Moonee Valley, Hume, Brimbank and Wyndham.

The results showed:

■One-third of the properties had no electrical safety switch.

■One in five had major mould problems.

■One in 10 had no heating.

The VCOSS report revealed that 40per cent of the problems could be fixed for less than $100 and more than half needed only two repairs to raise 'liveability' standards.

VCOSS acting chief executive Carolyn Atkins said cases of sub- standard housing were all too common.

"Our research shows there's a shocking lack of basic standards for rental housing. We're calling on the state government to implement minimum rental standards to ensure Victorians who are renting have access to safe, secure and energy-efficient housing."

Renters could save up to $700 a year on bills if landlords installed gas heaters, ceiling insulation and electric hot water systems.

Tenants Union of Victoria's Toby Archer said it wanted to see two major changes to rental agreements:

ensuring properties complied with building and planning regulations and were owned and not being sub-let by the landlord, and that they met basic standards for general maintenance and energy efficiency.

The Mail was unable to contact the Maribyrnong property's landlord.