Australian Rental Guide
From searching to applying, bond, lease, and tenant rights.
1. Rental Property Search
Main Rental Search Sites
- Domain (opens in a new window) — Australia's #2 property platform
- realestate.com.au (opens in a new window) — Australia's largest property platform
- Flatmates.com.au (opens in a new window) — Share house specialist
- AUWith — Share house and rental info
Rental Prices (2026)
| City | Share room (week) | Studio (week) |
|---|---|---|
| Sydney | $200~$350 | $450~$700 |
| Melbourne | $180~$300 | $350~$550 |
| Brisbane | $150~$250 | $350~$500 |
| Perth | $150~$250 | $300~$450 |
2. Rental Application Process
Inspection
Attend Open Inspections. Competitive areas can have dozens of visitors.
Inspection Checklist
- Water pressure and hot water
- Gas/electricity, AC/heater
- Mould and dampness
- Storage space (wardrobes, storage)
3. Bond / Lease
Bond (Security Deposit)
- Amount: usually 4 weeks rent
- Held by state authority (not landlord)
- NSW: Fair Trading | VIC: RTBA | QLD: RTA
- Returned in full if property is in good condition (2-4 weeks)
4. Tenant Rights
Key Tenant Rights
- Landlord must handle structural repairs and maintenance
- Landlord cannot visit without 24 hours written notice
- Rent increases limited by state law (usually once per year)
- Can dispute unfair eviction notices at Tribunal
Advanced Renting Guide — Winning Applications, Defending Against Rent Rises, Getting Your Bond Back, Rights While Renting, Ending a Lease, and Share Housing
Even after you find a place, moments where money is on the line keep coming — rent increases, bond deductions, repair disputes. This guide covers the advanced ground: practical strategies for beating the application competition, recovering your bond in full, exercising your rights while renting, the rules for ending a lease early, and the legal grey zones of share housing. Tenancy rules differ by state and have been changing rapidly in recent years, so before acting, confirm the latest position with your state's official body (NSW Fair Trading, Consumer Affairs Victoria, QLD RTA and so on).
Beating the Application Competition — Profile, Documents, and Platform Strategy
Build Your Renter Profile in Advance (realestate.com.au, Snug, 2Apply)
Popular listings attract dozens of applications on inspection day alone, so the race is won by having your profile ready on each application platform and submitting within minutes of the inspection. The old standard, 1Form, is being replaced by realestate.com.au's own application system (Ignite) under the REA Group, so check which platform the agency uses for each listing (realestate.com.au, Snug, 2Apply/Sorted, etc.) and complete your profile there first. Keep your passport, visa evidence (a printed VEVO check), recent payslips, and reference contacts organised as one PDF set in the cloud so you can reuse them instantly on any platform. A complete profile and fast submission are themselves signals of reliability to the agent.
Stand Out with a Rental Cover Letter
Agents really assess three things — your income-to-rent ratio (roughly 30% of weekly income is the conventional benchmark), the stability of your employment, and whether you will look after the property. A cover letter of around 200 words stating your job and contract type, how long you hope to stay, and whether you smoke or have pets lifts your priority among applicants with similar profiles. Adding one line on why you are moving (job relocation, starting study, etc.) builds further trust. But false statements can later be grounds for terminating your lease, so only include facts that can be verified.