Invest
NSW offers continued support to tenants and landlords
With Greater Sydney stuck in a prolonged lockdown, the state government has announced continued support for tenants and landlords who have seen a reduction in their income.
NSW offers continued support to tenants and landlords
With Greater Sydney stuck in a prolonged lockdown, the state government has announced continued support for tenants and landlords who have seen a reduction in their income.
In a statement made on Monday, the NSW government confirmed what industry experts have been expecting – that the government will continue its support to tenants and landlords for the duration of the lockdown.
Under the temporary pause on evictions, tenants who cannot meet their residential rent payments due to financial distress are protected from eviction until at least 11 September.
To be eligible for the measures, a tenant needs to show paying members of the household have seen a weekly income reduction of 25 per cent or more compared with the four weeks prior to 26 June 2021.
The household member must also pay at least 25 per cent of the rent.
However, the pause on evictions will not protect a tenant if there is illegal use of the premises, damages to the property or their lease ends.
The freeze on evictions also doesn’t apply to social housing tenancies as they have their own processes.
As such after 11 September, if a tenant is behind in rent and has not entered an agreement with the landlord to vary their rent, the landlord will be offered the power to terminate the lease.
Landlords are, however, being encouraged to work with their tenants on coming to an agreement on the level of rent those impacted by the pandemic are required to pay.
Any landlord who negotiates a rental discount with their tenant and also sees a 25 per cent reduction in income is eligible for up to $3,000 in government support.
Minister for Better Regulation and Innovation Kevin Anderson said the Residential Tenancy Support package has been extended for a second month due current lockdowns.
“Keeping people safe doesn’t just mean reducing the health threats of the virus. It is vital we help keep a roof over the heads of those who may be suffering financial hardship at this difficult time.”
The minister highlighted the importance of support for tenants as a way to slow down the spread of COVID-19.
“It’s hard enough having to lockdown in your home while we stop the spread of the virus, but this NSW government support means you can do that without fear of being evicted,” he said.
Landlords who applied for the support last month can make an additional application, while those who are yet to apply will be able to make one application for the total amount of rent waived, up to $1,500 a month, the Minister explained.
“The NSW government is ensuring both residential tenants and landlords have ongoing support by extending financial assistance for private landlords who pass on rent relief,” Mr Anderson continued.
“We have always encouraged landlords and tenants to work together to negotiate on rental agreements, and the NSW government has now made that conversation easier by supporting landlords so they can reduce rent for their tenants.”
Landlords will also have the option to apply for the COVID-19 land tax benefit instead of applying for the Residential Tenancy Support Payment, which is an offset of the land tax liability equal to the rent reduction granted.
Landlords cannot ask tenants to repay the amount of rent waived.
RELATED ARTICLES
-
Trust, technology and triage: what NSW’s ‘name and shame’ signals for real estate governance
-
Vacancy is rising, demand is resilient: A case study in defending yield as Australia’s rental cycle rebalances
-
Don’t lose the deposit: A case study in stopping real estate payment fraud — and the ROI for doing it
About the author
About the author
Property
Trust, technology and triage: what NSW’s ‘name and shame’ signals for real estate governance
NSW’s latest enforcement action on real estate trust accounts isn’t a one-off embarrassment; it’s a stress test of sector governance. With licences suspended and penalties applied, the message is ...Read more
Property
Vacancy is rising, demand is resilient: A case study in defending yield as Australia’s rental cycle rebalances
After a blistering run, Australia’s rental market is loosening at the edges. Vacancy is edging up off historic lows, rent inflation is set to moderate into 2026, yet underlying demand remains ...Read more
Property
Don’t lose the deposit: A case study in stopping real estate payment fraud — and the ROI for doing it
Deposit redirection scams are quietly eroding buyer savings and agency reputations in Australia’s property market. This case study unpacks how a mid-tier real estate group redesigned its settlement ...Read more
Property
The $12m threshold: Why portfolio value, not property count, now defines Australia’s investor elite
The old yardstick of six properties as shorthand for investment success has been overtaken by a harsher reality: in today’s market, elite status is defined by balance-sheet strength, not asset countRead more
Property
From intuition to instrumentation: How a "two-stakeholder" sales playbook lifted close rates and cut cycle times
High-stakes consumer purchases are increasingly joint decisions. When one partner is under-served, deals stall. This case study follows an Australian real estate group that rebuilt its sales motion ...Read more
Property
Selling in 2025: How to spot bad agents fast—and build an ROI-first vendor playbook
In Australia’s property market, choosing the wrong listing agent isn’t just inconvenient—it’s a textbook principal–agent failure that can wipe tens of thousands off your sale outcomeRead more
Property
Selling in 2026: How to de‑risk your agent choice and protect tens of thousands at settlement
Choosing the wrong selling agent isn’t just an inconvenience — it’s a balance‑sheet risk. In a market where digital discovery is concentrated and AI is recasting how listings are priced and promoted, ...Read more
Property
Rate resilience in Australian housing: why scarce supply is overpowering monetary tightening
Australia’s housing market is defying higher borrowing costs because the binding constraint isn’t demand—it’s supply. Brokers report persistent buyer competition and investor repositioning, while ...Read more
Property
Trust, technology and triage: what NSW’s ‘name and shame’ signals for real estate governance
NSW’s latest enforcement action on real estate trust accounts isn’t a one-off embarrassment; it’s a stress test of sector governance. With licences suspended and penalties applied, the message is ...Read more
Property
Vacancy is rising, demand is resilient: A case study in defending yield as Australia’s rental cycle rebalances
After a blistering run, Australia’s rental market is loosening at the edges. Vacancy is edging up off historic lows, rent inflation is set to moderate into 2026, yet underlying demand remains ...Read more
Property
Don’t lose the deposit: A case study in stopping real estate payment fraud — and the ROI for doing it
Deposit redirection scams are quietly eroding buyer savings and agency reputations in Australia’s property market. This case study unpacks how a mid-tier real estate group redesigned its settlement ...Read more
Property
The $12m threshold: Why portfolio value, not property count, now defines Australia’s investor elite
The old yardstick of six properties as shorthand for investment success has been overtaken by a harsher reality: in today’s market, elite status is defined by balance-sheet strength, not asset countRead more
Property
From intuition to instrumentation: How a "two-stakeholder" sales playbook lifted close rates and cut cycle times
High-stakes consumer purchases are increasingly joint decisions. When one partner is under-served, deals stall. This case study follows an Australian real estate group that rebuilt its sales motion ...Read more
Property
Selling in 2025: How to spot bad agents fast—and build an ROI-first vendor playbook
In Australia’s property market, choosing the wrong listing agent isn’t just inconvenient—it’s a textbook principal–agent failure that can wipe tens of thousands off your sale outcomeRead more
Property
Selling in 2026: How to de‑risk your agent choice and protect tens of thousands at settlement
Choosing the wrong selling agent isn’t just an inconvenience — it’s a balance‑sheet risk. In a market where digital discovery is concentrated and AI is recasting how listings are priced and promoted, ...Read more
Property
Rate resilience in Australian housing: why scarce supply is overpowering monetary tightening
Australia’s housing market is defying higher borrowing costs because the binding constraint isn’t demand—it’s supply. Brokers report persistent buyer competition and investor repositioning, while ...Read more
