NCAT & legislation

12 May 2023 · Vivid Land Team

Residential tenancy law in Australia is set at the state and territory level. Here is a plain-English map of the key legislation and the bodies that handle disputes — including NCAT in New South Wales.

Residential tenancies legislation by state

• New South Wales — Residential Tenancies Act 2010 (as amended by the Residential Tenancies Amendment Act 2024)
• Victoria — Residential Tenancies Act
• Queensland — Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008
• Western Australia — Residential Tenancies Act 1987
• South Australia — Residential Tenancies Act
• Tasmania — Residential Tenancies Act 1997
• Australian Capital Territory — Residential Tenancies Act 1997
• Northern Territory — Residential Tenancies Act 1999

Bodies handling tenancy disputes

• New South Wales — NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT)
• Victoria — VCAT (Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal)
• Queensland — QCAT (Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal)
• ACT — ACAT (ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal)
• Western Australia — SAT (State Administrative Tribunal)
• Tasmania — Magistrates Court (Residential Tenancy Division)

Real estate institutes

Professional standards are championed by the Real Estate Institute of Australia and its state bodies: REINSW (NSW), REIV (Victoria), REIQ (Queensland), REIWA (WA), REISA (South Australia), REIT (Tasmania), REIACT (ACT) and REINT (Northern Territory).

What this means for landlords and tenants in NSW

Most disputes about bonds, repairs, rent increases, termination and compliance in NSW are resolved through NCAT — a faster and cheaper alternative to the courts. As your property managers, we handle NCAT matters on your behalf, keep your agreements compliant with the current legislation, and make sure your rights — and your tenant's rights — are protected at every stage.

Recent reforms have tightened the rules: no-grounds evictions were abolished on 19 May 2025, rent increases are limited to once every 12 months with 60 days' written notice, and bonds are capped at four weeks' rent (lodged with NSW Fair Trading via Rental Bonds Online). We keep every managed tenancy aligned with these requirements.