Australian landlords rank applicants on paperwork, not on how nice you seem at the inspection. As a new arrival you start with zero rental ledger, zero local references and no credit file — so you have to compensate with everything else.

This guide is about signing your own lease. If you are moving into an existing sharehouse, the rules are looser but the scam risk is higher — read our sharehouse guide as well.

What You Actually Pay Upfront

Item	Typical amount
Bond (security deposit)	4 weeks rent
Rent in advance	2 weeks rent
Connection fees (power, internet)	$0 – $120
Basic furniture / whitegoods	$400 – $2,000

On a $450/week place that is roughly $2,700 before you own a single spoon. Budget for this before you commit — it is the single biggest cash shock for new students.

Bond is lodged with a government authority, not kept by the agent:

• NSW — NSW Fair Trading Rental Bonds Online
• VIC — Residential Tenancies Bond Authority (RTBA)
• QLD — Residential Tenancies Authority (RTA)
• WA — Bond Administrator, Consumer Protection
• SA — Consumer and Business Services

You should receive a bond lodgement confirmation within 10 business days. If you do not, that is a serious red flag — chase it in writing.

Building an Application That Wins

A strong application beats a higher offer more often than students expect. Include:

1. Passport and visa grant notice (proof of legal stay length)
2. Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) — shows you are staying for the lease term
3. Proof of funds — 3 months of bank statements, or a scholarship letter
4. Employment letter and payslips if you work
5. A guarantor letter from a parent or an Australian permanent resident
6. International reference from your previous landlord, translated if needed
7. A one-page cover letter — who you are, what you study, how long you plan to stay

Realistically, agents want to see income around 30% rule: weekly rent should be under 30% of your combined weekly income. If you fall short, offering 2–4 weeks extra rent in advance legally strengthens your position in most states (offering more than the advertised rent is banned in NSW, VIC, QLD and ACT — rent bidding is illegal).

The Inspection Checklist

Take 10 minutes and check:

• Water pressure and hot water in shower and kitchen
• Mould in bathroom ceilings, wardrobes and behind curtains
• Heating and cooling — most older Australian rentals have neither, and winters in Melbourne, Canberra and Adelaide are genuinely cold indoors
• Phone reception in every room
• Window locks, deadlocks, smoke alarms
• Noise — visit again at night if you can
• Distance to the nearest supermarket and to a train/tram/bus stop

Photograph everything. When you move in you get a condition report — fill in every scratch, stain and mark, take date-stamped photos, and return it within the deadline (usually 3–7 days). This is how you get your full bond back later.

Reading the Lease Before You Sign

Non-negotiables to check:

• Term — 6 or 12 months. A 12-month lease is cheaper per week, but breaking it costs you.
• Break-lease fee — often 4–6 weeks rent, or "reletting fee plus rent until a new tenant is found."
• Who pays water — usage charges are commonly yours; supply charges are the landlord's.
• Bills included? — "all bills included" ads often cap usage. Read the cap.
• Subletting — you usually need written permission to add a housemate.
• Pets — increasingly allowed by law, but you must ask in writing.

If anything was promised verbally (a new fridge, repaired blinds), get it added as a special condition before signing. Verbal promises are unenforceable in practice.

Your Rights as a Tenant

• The landlord must give written notice before entering — usually 24–48 hours, and 7 days for a general inspection, depending on state.
• Rent increases are limited to once every 12 months in most states, with 60 days written notice.
• Urgent repairs (burst pipes, no hot water, gas leaks, unsafe electrics) must be fixed immediately; you can arrange the repair yourself up to a capped amount if the landlord is unreachable.
• You cannot be evicted without a formal notice and, if contested, a tribunal order.

Every state has a free tenants advice service. In NSW it is the Tenants Union of NSW; in Victoria, Tenants Victoria; in Queensland, Tenants Queensland. Their advice is free and confidential and they do not report anything to Home Affairs.

Getting Your Bond Back

You will get 100% back if:

1. The condition report matches the property at exit (fair wear and tear is allowed)
2. Rent is paid in full to the last day
3. The place is professionally clean — carpets steam-cleaned if the lease says so
4. All keys are returned

Take exit photos of every room, the oven, the shower grout and the carpets. Most bond disputes are decided on photo evidence alone.

Red Flags That Mean Walk Away

• Being asked to pay a deposit before you or someone you trust has physically inspected the property
• Payment requested by cryptocurrency, gift cards or to a personal overseas account
• Landlord "overseas" who cannot show the property but will "post the keys"
• No written lease agreement
• No bond receipt or lodgement number
• Rent well below market for the suburb

Cross-check the listing address on Google Street View and search the exact ad text — scam listings are recycled across Facebook Marketplace and Gumtree.

Related Reading

• How to find a sharehouse and avoid scams
• Suburb guides by city
• Roommate matcher
• Cost of Living Calculator