Girilang The NSW landlord checklist, from ready to rented.
Eight steps for a standard residential tenancy, in the order they happen, from the minimum standards to the keys.
Eight steps, in order.
For self-managing landlords starting a standard residential tenancy in NSW. Boarding houses follow different rules.
Read the landlord information statement. You must read it before renting the property, and acknowledge it on the agreement.
Make the property fit to live in. Meet the seven minimum standards and finish repairs before you advertise.
Gather the documents. Strata by-laws, any pool certificate, and the facts you must tell a tenant.
Advertise and assess fairly. State one rent, never invite higher offers, and ask every applicant the same relevant questions.
Prepare the agreement. Use the current NSW standard agreement, with the tenant information statement and your completed condition report.
Offer Rental Bonds Online first. Register as a landlord and offer it as the first way to lodge the bond. The tenant may choose the paper form.
Sign, then hand over the keys. Give each tenant named on the agreement the keys and access devices they need. The first set is free.
Get the condition report back. The tenant has seven days after moving in to complete their part and return a copy.
The numbers to know.
From NSW Government guidance for a standard residential tenancy.
7
minimum standards a rental must meet before it is let
4 weeks
of rent is the most you can take as bond
2 weeks
of rent in advance is the usual limit
7 days
for the tenant to return the condition report
General information, not legal advice. Tenancy law changes, so check the current rules with NSW Fair Trading. Checked 12 October 2026 against Landlord information statement, Minimum standards for rental properties, When a prospective tenant applies, Signing a lease and moving in, Rental property condition reports and Rental bonds for landlords.
From the agreement to the keys.Kept with the property.
Questions before a NSW tenant moves in.
The tenant information statement, the proposed agreement, the condition report you have completed and, where relevant, the strata by-laws. You must also offer Rental Bonds Online first.
No more than four weeks’ rent. Rent in advance is normally limited to two weeks. Check the current NSW Government guidance before taking payment.
You complete it before the tenant moves in and give it to them before or when they sign. The tenant has seven days after moving in to complete and return their copy.
It fills in the NSW agreement from your records, sends it for signing, and keeps the condition report, tenant record, keys and dates together. It does not advertise, screen applicants, lodge the bond or serve notices.
Not necessarily. It covers a standard residential tenancy. Registrable boarding houses and occupancy agreements follow the Boarding Houses Act, so use the NSW Government’s boarding house guidance.
Answer the next question.
Start with one property.
Add it and the people who live there today. The rest of your rentals can follow when it suits you.