Your state or territory
Tenancy law is made by the states and territories. Nothing here applies Australia-wide, so start with where you live.
Scope of the claim on the front page
The front page says that paying rent must not require a subscription fee, and closes with a line that depends on where the reader is:
- “It’s the law.” in NSW, QLD, SA, TAS and VIC, where the requirement sits in an Act or regulation.
- “It’s prohibited.” in WA and the NT, where it rests on the regulator’s published guidance.
If we can’t guess a reader’s location, we omit the qualifier.
Every Australian state requires a fee-free way to pay rent, and a majority go further - SA, QLD, VIC and NSW require that the free option be reasonably convenient or accessible rather than merely exist. Five states do this by legislation (SA, QLD, NSW, VIC, TAS); three jurisdictions stand apart:
- Western Australia: the “fee-free option” rule comes from the regulator’s guidance, not the Act. The Act separately bars requiring amounts other than rent and bond (s 27) - which bites on entry charges such as application fees - and gives a right to pay by cash, cheque or the lessor’s nominated account (s 34A).
- The Northern Territory requires a free alternative through its regulator’s guidance, not its Act. The Act itself only says the manner and place of payment is specified in the agreement or agreed in writing.
- The ACT is the exception: there is no established fee-free requirement, and payment arrangements are a matter for agreement between the parties.
| Jurisdiction | The short version | Page |
|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | Payment that is free and convenient must be offered and enabled; Centrepay and an approved electronic bank transfer; no fee for a prescribed method. | NSW → |
| Victoria | A fee-free method; a third-party platform must not charge you a fee to pay rent. | VIC → |
| Queensland | At least two ways to pay; one must not exceed reasonable transactional costs and must be reasonably accessible. | QLD → |
| South Australia | Rent must be payable in a reasonably convenient manner; no fee for paying or collecting rent. | SA → |
| Western Australia | At least one payment option free of any fees; the landlord absorbs third-party collection costs. | WA → |
| Tasmania | A tenant cannot be charged for the payment or collection of rent. | TAS → |
| Australian Capital Territory | The tenant and landlord agree how rent is paid. | ACT → |
| Northern Territory | An alternative method free of any costs must exist; no exclusive third-party collector. | NT → |
Across all jurisdictions
- Fees charged by your own bank are generally ordinary account costs and are treated differently from fees imposed by a landlord, agent or platform.
- Rooming accommodation, caravan parks and social housing can be covered by different provisions from private residential tenancies.
- A fee-free option can be offered and still be made impractical to use. Where payment details change every period, that bears on whether the method is genuinely convenient or reasonably available - see changing payment details.
National statements
National Cabinet has agreed to a better deal for renters to harmonise and strengthen renters’ rights across Australia.
Policy statementPrime Minister of Australia (2023) · National Cabinet press conferenceIn a national CHOICE survey, 41% of renters said they felt pressured to use a RentTech platform to apply for a place to live …
AdvocacyCHOICE · RentTech report release… the apps shouldn’t be charging tenants a fee to process their rent payments.
AdvocacyPenny Carr, Tenants Queensland, via ABC News · ABC News, 1 August 2024