If you rent your home or have an investment property in New South Wales, important changes have come into effect that you need to be aware of. These new rental laws are designed to provide more stability for renters and certainty for landlords and aim to improve the NSW rental market.
What’s changing?
1. Valid reasons to end a lease
Landlords can no longer end a lease without a valid reason, as set out in legislation. This boosts tenant security and transparency, with longer notice periods for certain leases to allow more time to find a new home. Renters who secure a new property after receiving an eviction notice will now have greater rights to end their lease early.
2. Easier to keep pets in rental home
Apply to keep a pet and landlords can now only refuse for specific reasons – for instance, if they themselves live on the property or if the pet breaches council regulations. A standard application process has been introduced, with automatic approval if there’s no response from the landlord within 21 days.
3. Fee-free ways to make rent payments
Landlords and agents must offer at least one electronic rent payment option free of additional charges, such as direct bank transfers, ensuring modern, cost-free payment methods are available.
Additional renter protections on the way
Alongside these reforms, the NSW Government is introducing:
- Rent increase limits – capped at once a year across all lease types, including fixed-term and periodic agreements.
- No charges for tenant background checks – clarifying that rental applicants cannot be charged fees before signing a lease.
- Portable Rental Bonds Scheme – a $6.6 million program, due later this year, allowing renters to digitally transfer their bond when moving.
- Rent Check website – a free online tool to compare asking rents with similar properties in the area.
Enforcing the new rules
A dedicated Rental Taskforce is monitoring compliance, with inspectors and support teams ready to act on serious breaches. The NSW Government has also launched updated resources on the NSW Fair Trading website to guide renters and landlords through the changes.
“We have new information and resources on the NSW Government Website providing clear, reliable information to help renters, landlords and agents navigate these changes with confidence,” Jones says adding, “Our focus now is on successful implementation and dedicating our efforts to prevent and act on breaches of the law.”
The NSW Government is committed to creating a rental system that works for both renters and owners – one that is fair, modern, and transparent.
For more details on the reforms and how they affect you, visit https://www.nsw.gov.au/departments-and-agencies/fair-trading/changes-to-rental-laws
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