Owning & renting out
Ending a Tenancy: Notice Periods & Bond Caps
What a landlord actually has to do to end a tenancy, and where a bond or tenancy dispute gets decided — all 8 states and territories compared, most now requiring a stated reason.
- Most of Australia has abolished "no cause" evictions in the last two years — Western Australia and Tasmania are the only two states where a landlord can still end a tenancy without stating any reason.
- NSW draws a real distinction between a landlord merely proposing to sell (60/90 days) and a genuine, already-exchanged sale (30 days) — using the wrong one is a common mistake.
- Rental bond caps are 4 weeks' rent almost everywhere, but NSW has no exception at any rent level, while WA, SA and (below a threshold) Victoria lift or remove the cap for higher-rent properties.
- Western Australia and Tasmania are also the only two states with no dedicated tenancy tribunal — disputes go through a Commissioner or the Magistrates Court instead.
- Every figure here was re-verified against the primary regulator source in August 2026, not assumed to still match an earlier registration date.
Why this differs so much by state
Most of Australia has moved through the same reform in the last two years — abolishing "no cause" evictions and requiring a landlord to state a genuine reason to end a tenancy — but each state legislated it separately, on its own timeline, with its own notice periods and its own exceptions. Victoria's changes took effect for fixed-term endings with the 90-day standard now in force; NSW reformed on 19 May 2025; South Australia on 1 July 2024; the Northern Territory realigned its periods on 2 January 2024. Western Australia and Tasmania haven't made this change at all. Applying one state's rule to a property in another is a genuine, common mistake. This page covers the operational side of being a landlord — for the tax and land-tax side of holding the property, see land tax for investors.
Notice periods to end a tenancy, state by state
| State/territory | Without any reason? | Standard notice (valid reason) |
|---|---|---|
| Victoria | No — abolished | 90 days standard; 14–28 days for breach-type reasons (Consumer Affairs Victoria, verified 18 Aug 2026) |
| New South Wales | No — since 19 May 2025 | 60 days (≤6-month fixed term) or 90 days (periodic/>6-month term); 30 days for an actual, exchanged sale; 14 days for breach (NSW Government, verified 18 Aug 2026) |
| Queensland | No | 2 months for end-of-term, sale or owner move-in; these can't be used to end a fixed term early (Residential Tenancies Authority (QLD), verified 8 Aug 2026) |
| Western Australia | Yes — one of only two states | 30 days (fixed term) or 60 days (periodic), via Form 1C, no reason required (Consumer Protection WA, verified 8 Aug 2026) |
| South Australia | No — since 1 July 2024 | 60 days with a prescribed reason, up from a previous 28-day no-reason period (Consumer and Business Services SA, verified 8 Aug 2026) |
| Tasmania | Yes — the other of the two states | 42–60 days at fixed-term end, no reason required; 60 days if a lending institution is selling to recover a debt (Consumer, Building and Occupational Services (CBOS), Tasmania, verified 8 Aug 2026) |
| ACT | No | 8 weeks for family move-in or sale (with proof); 12 weeks for major repairs or rebuilding (ACT Government, verified 8 Aug 2026) |
| Northern Territory | No — realigned 2 January 2024 | 60 days, the same for both periodic and fixed-term tenancies (Northern Territory Consumer Affairs, verified 8 Aug 2026) |
Rental bond caps, state by state
| State/territory | Maximum bond |
|---|---|
| Victoria | 1 month's rent, for properties up to $900/week (Consumer Affairs Victoria, verified 8 Aug 2026) |
| New South Wales | 4 weeks' rent, no exception at any rent level (NSW Government, verified 8 Aug 2026) |
| Queensland | 4 weeks' rent (general tenancies and rooming accommodation), reduced from a higher cap on 30 September 2024 (Residential Tenancies Authority (QLD), verified 8 Aug 2026) |
| Western Australia | 4 weeks' rent, uncapped above $1,200/week (Consumer Protection WA, verified 8 Aug 2026) |
| South Australia | 4 weeks' rent (≤$800/week) or 6 weeks' rent (>$800/week); 2 weeks for a rooming house (Consumer and Business Services SA, verified 8 Aug 2026) |
| Tasmania | 4 weeks' rent, cannot be increased during the tenancy (Consumer, Building and Occupational Services (CBOS), Tasmania, verified 8 Aug 2026) |
| ACT | 4 weeks' rent (ACT Government, verified 8 Aug 2026) |
| Northern Territory | 4 weeks' rent (Northern Territory Consumer Affairs, verified 8 Aug 2026) |
Where a tenancy dispute is actually decided
| State/territory | Dispute body |
|---|---|
| Victoria | Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) (Consumer Affairs Victoria, verified 18 Aug 2026) |
| New South Wales | NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT), Consumer and Commercial Division (NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT), verified 8 Aug 2026) |
| Queensland | RTA's free dispute resolution service first; unresolved matters go to QCAT (Residential Tenancies Authority (QLD), verified 8 Aug 2026) |
| Western Australia | No dedicated tribunal — the Commissioner for Consumer Protection decides bond-only disputes; everything larger goes to the Magistrates Court (Consumer Protection WA, verified 8 Aug 2026) |
| South Australia | South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (SACAT) (South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (SACAT), verified 8 Aug 2026) |
| Tasmania | No dedicated tribunal — a Residential Tenancy Commissioner decides most matters first; bond decisions can be appealed to the Magistrates Court within 7 days (Magistrates Court of Tasmania, verified 8 Aug 2026) |
| ACT | ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal (ACAT) (ACT Government, verified 8 Aug 2026) |
| Northern Territory | NT Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NTCAT) (Northern Territory Consumer Affairs, verified 8 Aug 2026) |
Questions landlords actually ask
Can a landlord still end a tenancy without giving any reason?
In most of Australia, no — Victoria, NSW, Queensland, South Australia, the ACT and the Northern Territory have all moved to require a stated, valid reason. Western Australia and Tasmania are the only two jurisdictions where a landlord can still end a tenancy at the end of a fixed term without stating any reason at all.
What's the difference between NSW's "proposed sale" and "actual sale" notice periods?
A landlord merely planning to sell needs the same 60/90-day notice as other no-fault grounds. A genuine, already-exchanged sale of the property is a separate, faster ground requiring only 30 days — using the wrong one is a real, common mistake worth getting right.
How much bond can a landlord ask for?
4 weeks' rent in most states. South Australia allows 6 weeks above an $800/week rent threshold, and Western Australia removes the cap entirely above $1,200/week — NSW is the only state with no exception at all, capped at 4 weeks regardless of rent.
Which state has no dedicated tenancy tribunal?
Western Australia and Tasmania are the only two — WA routes bond disputes to the Commissioner for Consumer Protection (or the Magistrates Court for larger disputes), and Tasmania decides most matters through a Residential Tenancy Commissioner rather than a tribunal or court.
Practical checklist
Before serving a notice to vacate or ending a tenancy
- Confirm the exact ground and its specific notice period for your state — don't assume another state's rule applies
- In NSW, confirm whether this is a "proposed" or "actual" (exchanged) sale — the notice periods are genuinely different
- Check whether your ground requires documentary evidence (e.g. a statutory declaration or sale contract) before serving notice
- Confirm the bond amount you're holding or requesting doesn't exceed your state's cap
- Know which body actually decides a dispute in your state before you need it
Questions for a professional
- Is my stated reason for ending this tenancy actually valid in this state, and do I need to attach evidence?
- Have I given the correct notice period for this specific ground, not a different one?
- If this ends up in dispute, which body actually has jurisdiction, and what's the process?
Official resources
- Consumer Affairs Victoria: Notice to vacate in rental properties
- NSW Government: Minimum notice periods for ending a residential tenancy
- Residential Tenancies Authority (QLD): Ending a tenancy — notice
- Consumer Protection WA: Landlord ending a tenancy
- CBOS Tasmania: Owner ending a lease
Sources and methodology
- Notice to vacate in rental properties — Consumer Affairs Victoria (retrieved 18 Aug 2026)
- Minimum notice periods for ending a residential tenancy | NSW Government — NSW Government (retrieved 8 Aug 2026)
- Notice periods for ending a tenancy | Residential Tenancies Authority — Residential Tenancies Authority (QLD) (retrieved 8 Aug 2026)
- Landlord ending a tenancy | Consumer Protection, Western Australia — Consumer Protection WA (retrieved 8 Aug 2026)
- Tenancy reforms for landlords and agents | Consumer and Business Services — Consumer and Business Services SA (retrieved 8 Aug 2026)
- Owner ending a lease | CBOS Tasmania — Consumer, Building and Occupational Services (CBOS), Tasmania (retrieved 8 Aug 2026)
- Ending a tenancy for landlords | ACT Government — ACT Government (retrieved 8 Aug 2026)
- Renting in the NT — Changes to the Residential Tenancies Act 1999 | Northern Territory Consumer Affairs — Northern Territory Consumer Affairs (retrieved 8 Aug 2026)
- Bond amounts and paying a bond | Consumer Affairs Victoria — Consumer Affairs Victoria (retrieved 8 Aug 2026)
- Rental bonds fact sheet | Residential Tenancies Authority — Residential Tenancies Authority (QLD) (retrieved 8 Aug 2026)
- Rental bonds | Consumer Protection, Western Australia — Consumer Protection WA (retrieved 8 Aug 2026)
- Bonds FAQs | Consumer and Business Services — Consumer and Business Services SA (retrieved 8 Aug 2026)
- Rental bond lodgement and paying a bond contribution | CBOS Tasmania — Consumer, Building and Occupational Services (CBOS), Tasmania (retrieved 8 Aug 2026)
- Tenancy and social housing | NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal — NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) (retrieved 8 Aug 2026)
- Disputed bond refund | Residential Tenancies Authority — Residential Tenancies Authority (QLD) (retrieved 8 Aug 2026)
- Residential tenancy disputes | Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal — Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) (retrieved 8 Aug 2026)
- Bond disputes for residential tenancies | Consumer Protection, Western Australia — Consumer Protection WA (retrieved 8 Aug 2026)
- Housing and rentals | South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal — South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (SACAT) (retrieved 8 Aug 2026)
- Rental disputes: Information for tenants | Magistrates Court of Tasmania — Magistrates Court of Tasmania (retrieved 8 Aug 2026)
Figures on this page are drawn from Delora's local knowledge graph, refreshed from these primary sources and checked for changes on a regular schedule. If a figure here looks out of date, the official source above is always the authority — please let us know.