The Turnbull government is looking "closely" at a rent-to-buy scheme for first home buyers similar to that used in Britain, Fairfax Media has confirmed, as MPs rush to fill the void on housing affordability with their own ideas.

Nationals MP Andrew Broad on Friday floated a proposal to allow renters to buy a home without paying a deposit, if the money they normally spent on rent was commensurate with the mortgage repayments.

The need to save for a 10 to 20 per cent deposit was "beyond reach" for many first home buyers and was unnecessary if a person has a good record of paying rent and a clean credit history, Mr Broad said.

There was "a level of receptiveness" to the idea among colleagues, he told the ABC. "This would be a very good way of helping first home buyers enter the property market without having inflationary pressure on house prices," he said.