The State of Victoria houses over 200,000 international students. Inadequate or unaffordable housing can adversely impact the academic success and personal well-being of these students, making their housing an important issue for both education and urban policy.

This study looks at how short-term letting (STL) platforms like Airbnb, HomeAway and Booking.com are reshaping housing opportunity in private markets. It analyses Airbnb listing data from Sydney and Melbourne to reveal insights into the extent STL is contributing to housing affordability issues and to highlight the most effective responses available to regulators.

This paper addresses the questions of the geography and characteristics of room sharing, advertised via online shared accommodation listings, and its impact in terms of residential overcrowding and rental affordability. The findings may provide insights for policymakers and development practitioners that address issues of monitoring and regulation of informal practices of room sharing.