What to do today
If your NSW landlord or agent served a rent increase:
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Check the notice is valid. NSW Fair Trading says the landlord or agent must give at least 60 days' written notice. They can use the NSW Fair Trading notice of rent increase form, write their own notice, or send an email. The notice must state the new rent amount (not just the dollar rise), the date the increase starts, and be signed, dated and properly addressed to you. If the notice is posted, Fair Trading and the Tenants' Union say they must allow extra time for delivery (the Tenants' Union factsheet says an extra 7 working days). If you did not get proper written notice, you do not have to pay the increased amount. Keep paying the old rent and write back saying why the notice is invalid.
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Check the 12-month limit. From 31 October 2024, rent generally cannot increase within the first 12 months of a tenancy, or more than once in any 12-month period. That applies to periodic agreements and most fixed-term agreements. NSW Government pages carve out fixed-term agreements of less than 2 years that began before 13 December 2024: more than one increase in 12 months is only allowed if the agreement itself writes in the amount or an exact calculation method (a dollar figure or percentage). Vague methods like "in line with the market" are not valid. When that fixed term ends, the ordinary once-per-12-months rule applies. Renewals that keep the same landlord, at least one same tenant, and continuous occupation still count as the same tenancy for the 12-month clock.
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Run Rent Check, then negotiate in writing. Before the new rent starts, use the NSW Government Rent Check tool to compare the proposed rent with the median range for similar homes in your postcode. Rent Check is a guide, not a valuation. Ask the landlord or agent in writing to reduce or withdraw the increase. If they agree to a lower figure, Fair Trading says they do not need to send a fresh 60-day notice; the lower amount is due from the same start date as the original notice. Get that agreement in writing.
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Decide what rent to pay. If the notice is valid and the start date has arrived, keep paying the new amount while you challenge (or get advice before ignoring a notice you think is invalid). If you already paid an invalid increase, the Tenants' Union says you can apply to NCAT for repayment within 12 months of the increase.
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Apply to NCAT within 30 days of receiving the notice if you say the increase is excessive. Under section 44(1)(a) of the Residential Tenancies Act 2010 (NSW), you can ask NCAT for an order that the rent increase is excessive. NSW Government and NCAT materials say that application is due within 30 days after the notice of increase is given. You have to prove the increase is excessive. Fair Trading lists evidence such as comparable rents nearby, the state of repair and amenities, and the landlord's expenses. NCAT can set a maximum rent for up to 12 months. Apply through NCAT Online Services or a paper form.
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Budget for the filing fee. Residential proceedings at NCAT are not free. As at 1 July 2026, the standard fee is $64, the corporation fee is $128, and the reduced fee is $16 (eligible pensioners, or people with a grant of legal aid or community legal centre assistance). Parties in serious financial hardship can ask for a fee waiver. Confirm the live amounts on the NCAT fees page before you lodge. Do not rely on an old dollar figure.
Worked example
Jordan receives a written rent-increase email on 1 September 2026. It states the new weekly rent and a start date 65 days later. Jordan's last increase was 11 months ago.
Jordan treats the spacing as the first problem: for most tenancies, a second increase inside 12 months is not valid, so Jordan keeps paying the old rent and writes to the agent citing the once-per-12-months rule. If instead the last increase was 14 months ago and the notice content looks complete, Jordan runs Rent Check for the postcode, emails a written compromise offer, and diaries the NCAT 30-day clock from the day the notice arrived. If talks fail and Jordan still thinks the jump is above comparable rents, Jordan lodges an NCAT excessive-rent application (s44(1)(a)) with Rent Check printouts, nearby listings, and photos of the property's condition, and pays the current residential proceedings fee (or the reduced fee / waiver if eligible).
What NCAT looks at
NCAT decides whether the increase is excessive. Fair Trading's dispute page points to comparable rents for similar properties in the same area, the state of repair and amenities, and the landlord's expenses. There is no legal dollar cap on how much a private NSW rental can rise. The path is notice validity and the 12-month rule first, then negotiation with Rent Check evidence, then NCAT if needed.
Side schemes in two or three sentences
Social housing rent rebates can move more than once in 12 months when the change is only about the rebate versus income. That path sits on the NSW Government social housing rent pages, not this private-rental guide. Boarders, lodgers, and some share-housing arrangements sit outside ordinary residential tenancy coverage; check with a Tenants Advice and Advocacy Service before treating those as NCAT tenancy matters.
Where to get help
NSW Fair Trading: 13 32 20 (Mon to Fri, 8:30am to 5pm)
Tenants and rent increases
Notice of rent increase form
Rent Check
NCAT: 1300 006 228 · Apply online · Fees
Tenants' Union of NSW: Rent increases factsheet · local Tenants Advice and Advocacy Service via the Tenants' Union site