Monday, 19 May 2025 

The Minns Labor Government is delivering on its election commitment to improve rental laws and help
make renting fairer for tenants in Campbelltown.
A new era in stability and security for renters starts today from 19 May 2025 with three key changes
coming into force.
This means the following legal changes are now fully in effect:
• Ending of no-grounds evictions - Landlords can no longer end a tenancy without a reason set out in
legislation and must provide supporting documents where applicable, increasing security and
transparency for renters.
• Pets in rentals - Landlords will only be able to refuse a tenant’s request to keep a pet for specific
reasons. A standardised application process will ensure fairer and clearer decision-making.
• Fee-free ways to pay rent - Landlords and agents must enable renters to pay their rent using
certain fee-free rent payment methods such as direct bank transfer, ensuring there are convenient
and modern payment methods available without extra cost.
These important changes come alongside other key initiatives from the Minns Labor Government:
• Limiting rent increases to once per year – Rent increases are limited to once per year across all lease
types – including fixed-term and periodic leases.
• Ending tenants having to pay for their own background checks - Clarifying that rental applicants can’t
be charged fees before entering a tenancy, for example costs for background checks.
• Portable Rental Bonds Scheme – The Minns Labor Government is investing $6.6 million to develop and
deliver the nation’s first Portable Rental Bonds Scheme. This means eligible renters can move homes
and digitally transfer their existing bond with them.
• Rent Check – A new, free website – Rent Check helps renters to understand how the rent they’re being
asked to pay compares to other similar homes.

Stiff penalties are now in place for agents or landlords who do the wrong thing with penalties of up to
$11,000 for an individual or $71,500 for a company for giving a non-genuine grounds to end a tenancy, a
$5,500 penalty for not providing the required free ways to pay rent, and penalties of $2200 for advertising
a rental property as no pets allowed, and charging for background checks.
The changes will be enforced by the Minns Labor Government’s Rental Taskforce with inspectors and
support teams to help renters and act on serious breaches of rental laws.
People are encouraged to visit the NSW Fair Trading website for clear, up-to-date guidance on the new
rental laws and their rights and obligations here: https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-
construction/renting-a-place-to-live

Quotes attributable to Premier Chris Minns:
“Today marks a significant change which brings the rental market into the 21st century and makes renting
fairer.
“More people than ever are renting, and they are renting for longer, so these reforms improve security and
fairness in the rental market by ending no-grounds evictions, making it easier for tenants to keep pets in
their rental home, and ensuring renters have access to free electronic rent payment options.”

Quotes attributable to Acting Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading Paul Scully:
“The implementation of these reforms creates a fairer, more balanced rental market that gives tenants
greater security while making sure owners have clear and transparent processes to follow.
“We’ve listened to renters, owners, and industry experts to shape these changes, and have worked closely
with stakeholders to ensure the transition is smooth and well understood.
“Agents and landlords who choose to flout the laws should be aware the Rental Taskforce will act on
serious breaches of the new rental laws.”

Member for Campbelltown Greg Warren said:
“The Minns Labor Government is following through on an election commitment to make renting fairer.
“These new laws will mean now you won’t have more than one rental increase per year, your landlord can’t
evict you for no reason, it will be easier to have pets in rentals, you won’t be hit with fees when you pay
your rent, and you won’t have to pay for background checks when applying for a new property.
“We understand that renting can be challenging, so these reforms will go a long way to easing the burden
for renters in Campbelltown.”