Know before you lease

10 Tips to know before you rent a property

1. Inspect property before agreeing to live somewhere.
2. Sign a written contract between you and landlord.
3. Find out what your legal status is in shared housing. Are you a tenant or boarder/lodger? Your rights and obligations will vary.
4. A landlord/agent can ask you to pay holding fee, rent in advance (no more than two weeks rent) and bond (no more than four weeks rent).
5. Your landlord/agent must deposit your bond with NSW Fair Trading.
6. Your landlord/agent must give you a condition report when you move in to be completed by you and landlord within seven days of moving in.
7. If you do not deposit rent into a bank account make sure you always receive a receipt when you pay rent in cash.
8. If there is a change of shared tenancy make sure tenancy is officially transferred in writing.
9. If you are not sure, ask! You can get advice from your local Tenants Advice and Advocacy service (opens in a new window) or from UWS Student Legal Services.
10. You have right to complain to NSW Fair Trading (opens in a new window) if you are treated unfairly.