These updates apply to rental applications and application fees or rent payment fees charged by technology platforms.
Effective 31 March 2026, all residential rental applications must be made on a standard application form, and rental providers and agents may only request information listed on the prescribed form.
Rent tech platforms are banned from charging renters application or rent payment fees.
| Change | Commencement Date |
|---|---|
| Rental providers and property managers must use a prescribed, standardised rental application form | 31st March 2026 |
| Rental providers will need to follow clear rules for the type of information they can ask from renters | 31st March 2026 |
| There will be a ban on third-party fees for rental applications and payments | 31st March 2026 |
| Provision | Detail |
|---|---|
| s30AC – Application to enter residential rental agreement to be in prescribed form | Specifies that rental providers and property managers cannot prepare or authorise the preparation of an application form, and must use the prescribed form |
| s30BA – Residential rental provider may request prescribed information from applicants | Specifies that rental providers and property managers can only ask a rental applicant for information that has been prescribed. This is limited to prescribed information under the Residential Tenancies Amendment (Housing Statement Reform and Part 4A Site Agreements) Regulations 2025. |
| s51A – Prohibition on charging fees for application and rent payments | Extends the existing fee-ban framework to explicitly prohibit third-party businesses (rent-tech platforms) from charging renters fees for: Making a rental application; and Paying rent through those platforms or intermediaries. |
| Part 2, Division 4 – Other charges | Prescribes the broader prohibition on certain renter charges |
| Provision | Detail |
|---|---|
| Regulation 12 – Prescribed application form | Specifies the official prescribed form that must be used for rental applications and prohibits alternative forms |
| Regulation 13 – Requirement for applicants to complete the prescribed form | Sets out how applicants must complete the prescribed form and what constitutes a valid application. |
| Regulation 14 – Information required to be provided in application | Lists the prescribed fields of information that an applicant must fill out on the form. |
| Regulation 15 – Restrictions on additional information | Prohibits the rental provider or property manager from requesting information outside the prescribed list |