A man has been arrested after the discovery of a woman’s body in a Sydney sharehouse.

Police found the body of the woman, believed to be in her 50s, after being called to the property at Russell Lea, in Sydney’s inner-west, just after 11am on Thursday.

Police said five people lived in the house, including the woman and a 42-year-old man. He had moved in recently.

The pair are not believed to have been in an intimate relationship, but the incident is being treated as domestic violence because they were housemates.

“We know that the victim and the other housemates moved into this residence five to six weeks ago. The person of interest moved in two to three weeks ago,” Detective Superintendent Christine McDonald said.

Thursday morning’s emergency call reportedly came from a passerby who heard a woman screaming. Police arrived at the house within minutes.

McDonald said the woman had sustained “significant and multiple” stab injuries to her upper body.

“It is very clear that it is a homicide,” she said.

“You can imagine if you’re known to the victim and you’re a housemate of hers, you would be extremely distressed.”

Three other housemates were also home on Thursday morning.

McDonald said the arrested man had a criminal history of non-violent driving and drug-related offences. He was still speaking with investigators at Burwood Police Station on Thursday afternoon.

The woman is yet to be publicly identified as her next-of-kin are still being informed.

Police have asked anyone with information about the incident to come forward.

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-with AAP