The Greens have threatened to block Anthony Albanese’s $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund in the Senate unless the government builds 275,000 public and affordable homes over five years and introduces a two-year national rent freeze.

Ahead of the government putting its centrepiece housing legislation into Parliament after the October 25 budget, the Greens are pushing three demands in return for their support, including a $5b investment in maintenance and upgrades for existing public housing.

Greens Housing and Homelessness spokesperson and Federal Member for Griffith, Max Chandler-Mather, laid the blame for much of the nation's rental woes on Australia's two million landlords.