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Housing Hacks: what to expect when renting in Sydney
4 March 2024
Your rights and responsibilities
Welcome to Housing Hacks, our series on accommodation with tips and advice for students renting in Sydney. This first article will guide you through your housing options as a student, as well as important legal information you need to know as a tenant.
If you need emergency or short-term housing, please contact Accommodation Services on +61 2 9351 3322, 9 am to 5 pm Monday to Friday, or by email at accommodation.info@sydney.edu.au.
If you think you've been impacted by a rental scam, cease communication with the person or company and report it to Scamwatch. For more information on scams and how to avoid them, visit our scams webpage.
If you are experiencing financial difficulties that are impacting your studies, you may be able to apply for financial support.
Renting in Sydney
If you’ve moved to Sydney to start university or have recently moved out of your family home, you might be feeling overwhelmed by the current state of the rental market.
Sydney is facing a rental crisis, with limited rental properties available and soaring rental prices due to demand. While student accommodation providers are adapting to the evolving rental landscape and increased pressure of demand for student housing, the outlook of the market is still largely unclear.
To give yourself the best chance of securing a property and ensure you’re not being exploited, it's incredibly important you inform yourself of the accommodation options available, your rights and responsibilities as a tenant, and where to access support if you find yourself in unstable or unsafe accommodation.
With the current rental crisis happening in Sydney, it's important you know your rights as a tenant so you can protect yourself from scams.
Types of accommodation
Student residential accommodation on our Camperdown and Darlington Campus are at capacity for 2024. To ensure you’re on the waitlist, please register and apply for on-campus accommodation online via the Accommodation Portal.
There are still accommodation spaces available at our Camden Campus – find out what it’s like to live in Camden.
A variety of accommodation providers have designed purpose-built housing options close to campus and tailored for Sydney students. Some examples of managed student accommodation in Sydney are Y Suites on Regent and UniLodge Ultimo.
Head to our website to browse off-campus student accommodation options.
If you're moving from interstate or overseas, you may need a temporary base while you find a longer term home.
Explore the several options available to you for short-term stays, including discounted hotels, serviced apartments and homestays.
A private rental is a house or apartment that you rent from a landlord, usually via a real estate or property management agency, and where you are the tenant. You can live in a private rental alone or share it with another person or a group of people, known as a share house.
Share houses are a great opportunity to meet new people and make lifelong friends, but it’s important you set good ground rules with your housemates. As a tenant, it’s also important you understand and abide by NSW tenancy law.
Consider the options above and take time to think about what works best for you, in terms of living arrangements, convenience, and budget.
There are other livings costs associated with moving out than just rent and bills, so don’t forget to factor that into your budget. Along with rent, utility bills, groceries, and transport costs, you’ll need to cover rental bond and removalist fees if you need help moving in to your new home.
The Australian Government’s Money Smart initiative includes a budget planner template to help you get started on figuring out your budget when it comes to renting.
Figuring out your budget is essential before applying for a rental.
Your rights and responsibilities as a tenant
If you decide to rent privately, understand your rights and responsibilities as a tenant in New South Wales, and what’s expected when starting a tenancy agreement.
Rental lease
A rental lease, also known as a residential tenancy agreement, is a legally binding contract between you, the tenant, and your landlord, the owner of the property you are renting.
- who is on the lease
- type of lease
- more common in Australia, a fixed-term lease has a start and end date
- a periodic lease is month-to-month
- the length of the lease (for fixed-term leases, most commonly 6 or 12 months)
- the amount and frequency of your rent payment (weekly, fortnightly, or monthly)
- the method to pay rent (direct deposit or BPAY)
- the bond amount
- your landlord’s agent details and contact method
- water usage and utilities information
- your preferred method of receiving communications regarding your lease
- other terms of the agreement, including pets
Not paying your rent on time as specified in the rental lease can negatively affect your credit score and rental history, so it’s crucial you completely understand your rental agreement, ensure you can afford rent each week, and set up regular payments so you always pay on time.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions! Ask your real estate agent to clarify anything in the agreement that is confusing to you, and seek advice from family, friends or your local tenants’ union.
Rental bond
Rental bond is a one-off payment that you, the tenant, pays your landlord before moving into the property. Bond acts as a security deposit in case you break the terms of the lease or cause any damage to the property.
Your landlord cannot require you to pay bond before you sign your tenancy agreement, and the amount of rental bond legally cannot be more than four weeks rent. If you do not owe your landlord money at the end of your tenancy and there is no damage to the property, your bond should be returned to you in full.
If you need financial help, state and territory governments offer interest free loans to help people on lower incomes pay their bond through the Rentstart Bond Loan scheme.
Condition report
The lease must include a condition report which needs to be completed by the landlord or agent and signed by you within seven days of starting your lease.
The condition report details the general condition of the entire property, and will list any damage that exists prior to you occupying the premise. Inspect the property thoroughly, take photos and record any damage that’s not specified in the condition report so you don't become liable for the repair upon moving out. Damage might be thinks like chipped paint on doorframes, scratches or stains on floors, or missing doorknobs.
Always keep a copy of your condition report. You're not responsible for fair wear and tear to the property, but you are responsible for negligent, irresponsible, or intentional actions that cause damage. The cost incurred to fix damage caused by you may be deducted from your bond.
The condition report is also your opportunity to flag with your landlord any damage that may be dangerous, like a faulty light switch or smoke alarm, a leaking tap, or mould.
Ending your lease early may incur additional costs.
Ending or extending your lease
Lease extension
After the length of your lease expires, your landlord may choose to extend the lease for an additional period of time. This process can involve negotiating updated terms and conditions, including rent increases.
Rent increases are common in Sydney. Typically, in NSW your landlord can only increase your rent once in a 12 month period. As a tenant, it’s your right to be notified of any changes to the lease conditions, including an increase of rent, with at least 60 days’ notice before the current lease expires. The new conditions must be clearly outlined in writing so you can decide whether you want to accept them and remain in the property, or move out.
If you’ve been notified of a rent increase and you think it’s excessive, you can apply to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) within 30 days. The tribunal has the authority to review and revise the rent increase if necessary.
Lease termination
At the end of your tenancy, tenants are required to give 14 days’ notice in writing if you intend to end your fixed-term lease, or 21 days’ to end your periodic lease.
If the landlord intends to end your lease once the agreement expires, they must give at least 30 days’ notice to you in writing if it’s a fixed-term lease, or 90 days’ for a periodic lease.
You have the right to break your lease early as a tenant, but there could be costs involved. Your tenancy agreement will contain any specifics around breaking the lease.
To break a fixed-term lease of three years or less, the set fee payable is:
- four weeks rent if less than 25 percent of the agreement has expired
- three weeks rent if 25 percent or more but less than 50 percent of the agreement has expired
- two weeks rent if 50 percent or more but less than 75 percent of the agreement has expired
- one weeks rent if 75 percent or more of the agreement has expired.
To break a fixed-term lease of more than three years, your landlord may seek compensation by applying to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal for loss of rent, advertising for a new tenant, and a letting fee for the agent.
Landlords cannot break a fixed-term lease except under specific circumstances, such as the tenant violates the terms of the lease agreement, or the property is sold.
If you are experiencing domestic violence or financial hardship, you don’t have to give any notice to terminate your lease. Find out more on the NSW Government Fair Trading website, and access support through the University.
What to do if you find yourself in unstable or unsafe accommodation
As a student at the University of Sydney, it’s a requirement you inform us if you are not able to find secure housing so that we can support you and make sure you are safe.
- If you need to move urgently, contact Accommodation Services on +61 2 9351 3322, 9 am to 5 pm Monday to Friday, or by email at accommodation.info@sydney.edu.au for help with moving or more information about emergency and short-term housing.
- Students’ Representative Council caseworkers provide free, independent and confidential advice to undergraduate students. They may be able to help you find temporary and emergency accommodation. Make an appointment by calling 9660 5222.
- The Sydney University Postgraduate Research Association Postgraduate Advocacy Service provides postgraduate students with free advice and assistance with tenancy matters.
- Financial Support Services can help enrolled students with essential living costs.
- Student life, wellbeing and support offers a range of health and wellbeing, financial and personal support to students, with services available 24/7.
- If you’re experiencing domestic violence, please contact the Safer Communities Office via phone on +61 2 8627 6808, 8:30 am to 5:30 pm Monday to Friday, or by email at safer-communities.officer@sydney.edu.au. If you need domestic violence after hours support, call 1800RESPECT. For emergencies, call 000.
Keep your eyes peeled for the next article in our Housing Hacks series on how to successfully find a rental property, what to know before applying, and rental scams you need to look out for.