Different states have different residential tenancy laws and very different access to advice, especially for tenants. Our first stop for advice is often the Tenants Union or equivalent (if it exists) in each state. If you go to these websites you should find the appropriate advice for your area, including in some cases invaluable fact sheets and form letters that you can download, adapt and send off, covering just about any eventuality.
We’d recommend landlords as well as tenants take advantage of these great services as they are the best way for everyone to know what their rights and responsibilities are.
Meanwhile, here are the direct links to services in your area, including government offices. Clicking on the links should take you directly to the appropriate website. Please report broken links or let us know of additional links you think should be here on mail@flatchat.com.au or on the comment page below.
ACT
Tenants’ Union of ACT: www.tenantsact.org.au
ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal: www.acat.act.gov.au
Northern Territory
Tenants’ Advice Service, Darwin Community Legal Service: www.dcls.org.au/tenants-advice.html
NSW
TenantsNSW: www.tenants.org.au
Fair Trading: Tenants_and_home_owners/Renting_a_home
Consumer Trader and Tenancy (CTTT): www.cttt.nsw.gov.au/Divisions/Tenancy.html
Queensland
Tenants’ Union of Queensland: www.tuq.org.au
Residential Tenancies Authority: www.rta.qld.gov.au
Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal: www.qcat.qld.gov.au
South Australia
Tenants Information and Advocacy Service: www.anglicare-sa.org.au/tias
South Australia Government: Renting and Letting
Tasmania
Tenants’ Union of Tasmania: www.tutas.org.au
Consumer Affairs & Fair Trading: www.consumer.tas.gov.au/renting/rtc
Victoria
Tenants Union of Victoria: www.tuv.org.au
Consumer Affairs Victoria: www.consumer.vic.gov.au/housing-and-accommodation/renting
Victorian Civil Administration Tribunal (VCAT): www.vcat.vic.gov.au/disputes/residential-tenancies
Western Australia
Residential tenancy laws in WA changed radically in 2013. Make sure you know which regulations apply to you.
Tenants Advice Line WA: www.murdoch.edu.au/School-of-Law/Clinical-Legal-Education-SCALES/Tenant-Advice-Line-Western-Australia
Tenants Rights Factsheets: www.nsclegal.org.au/publications.php
WA Govt Department of Commerce: www.commerce.wa.gov.au/consumerprotection/content/Property_renting/Renting/NewRTALaws.html
