NSW renters are being encouraged to make use of several rental tools and recent tenancy reforms as the spring moving season brings a rise in new listings across Sydney and regional areas.
Spring is typically one of the busiest periods for the rental market, with around 39,000 new rental listings in Sydney during the season and about 14,000 across regional NSW, based on recent trends.
Smart Rental Bonds Reduce Upfront Moving Costs
One of the main measures now available statewide is Smart Rental Bonds, which allows eligible renters to transfer an existing bond directly to a new rental property instead of paying a second full bond while waiting for the original one to be refunded.
The scheme became available across NSW on 16 September 2026 following an earlier rollout in Penrith, Parramatta and the Central Coast.
Since the statewide launch, more than 2,700 renting households have used the system, with more than $7 million in bonds transferred.
Renters using Smart Rental Bonds pay a $25 administration and processing fee. If the new bond is higher than the existing one, they pay the difference. If the new bond is lower, the remaining amount can be returned once any claim on the previous tenancy is resolved.
If an agreed deduction is later made from the original bond, the NSW Government pays the former landlord and the renter repays that amount to the government.
Rent Check Helps Compare Local Prices
Renters can also use Rent Check, an online NSW Fair Trading tool that compares rental prices using recent bond data.
Users enter a postcode, property type, number of bedrooms and rent amount to see the median rental range for comparable properties in that area.
The tool uses bond information from the previous three months and is intended as a guide rather than an official valuation or recommendation.
More than 500,000 people have accessed Rent Check since it launched in 2024.
Rent Increases Limited to Once a Year
Under current NSW tenancy laws, rent generally cannot be increased within the first 12 months of a tenancy or within 12 months of a previous increase.
Renters must also be provided with at least one fee-free way to pay rent.
The NSW Rental Taskforce has returned about $180,000 to renters over the past year after investigations into illegal rent payment charges and background check fees.
One investigation found more than 3,000 renters had been charged prohibited fees, including dishonour charges and background check costs.
Broader Rental Reforms Now in Effect
Other recent changes to NSW rental laws include:
- ending no-grounds terminations by requiring a valid reason to end a tenancy
- making it easier for tenants to keep pets
- strengthened protections for victim-survivors of domestic and family violence
- new privacy protections covering information collected from rental applicants.
The reforms are being enforced through NSW Fair Trading and the Rental Taskforce.
For renters moving this spring, the practical focus is now on checking local rental prices, understanding tenancy rights and using bond-transfer options where eligible to reduce upfront moving costs.
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