Finding a home to rent

Renting in Australia is competitive, and you apply for a home rather than just agree terms. Here’s how the search works and how to stand out when you have no Australian rental history yet.

How tight is the market?

The vacancy rate is the share of rental homes empty and on the market. In August 2026 the national rate was 1.3%, according to SQM Research, a private data firm. That means many people chase each home.

Sydney and Canberra were loosening a little; Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Darwin had fewer empty homes than a year earlier. For rents by city see Cost of living and Choosing a city.

Where homes are listed

• Big property portals such as realestate.com.au and Domain list most homes let through agents. You can filter by suburb, price, bedrooms, pets and furnished
• Flatmate sites such as Flatmates.com.au list rooms in shared homes, useful if you’re single or want something quick
• Agency websites, and local community groups online, sometimes have homes before they reach the portals
• Rents are quoted per week (for example A$650 pw), not per month. Multiply by 52 and divide by 12 for a monthly figure

How inspections work

Unlike the UK, you rarely get a private viewing. Agents run an open inspection: a short set time slot, often at the weekend, when everyone interested walks through at once. Register on the listing so you’re told if the time changes. Things to check while you’re there:

• Heating and cooling, especially in Melbourne winters and Perth or Brisbane summers
• Internet: is it on the NBN (the national broadband network), and what type?
• Parking, storage and laundry (many units have a shared or small laundry)
• Whether the building is a strata scheme (body corporate, like a UK leasehold block) with its own rules
• Whether pets are allowed, and any signs of damp or mould
• Distance to work, schools and public transport

Applying

You apply after the inspection, usually online through the portal or the agent’s chosen platform. Queensland (since 1 May 2025) and South Australia (since 1 January 2026) require a standard application form, and Victoria has a prescribed form too. In NSW, the official guidance says agents may ask for:

• ID: they should only ask for what they need to confirm who you are, and sight it rather than keep copies
• Proof you can pay the rent, such as payslips or a letter from your employer
• A reference from a previous landlord or agent
• They may search a tenancy database (a register of tenants with past problems): good practice is to tell you first

In NSW agents can’t require a credit report, and you can’t be charged for applying or for a background check. Rent bidding (inviting offers above the advertised rent) is banned in NSW, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia.

Standing out with no Australian rental history

1. Bring UK landlord or letting agent references, in English, with contact details that work across time zones
2. Show your Australian job offer or employment contract and your salary
3. Show savings: a recent bank statement helps if you haven’t been paid locally yet
4. Write a short cover note: who will live there, your job, how long you plan to stay, any pets
5. Apply quickly and complete every field: incomplete applications are often skipped
6. Be flexible on move-in date and lease length if you can

Furnished, unfurnished and short-term lets first

Many long-term rentals are unfurnished, and may not include a fridge or washing machine, so check the listing and budget for them. Furnished homes are rarer and usually cost more. Many newcomers book a serviced apartment or short-term let for 2–6 weeks first. That way you can inspect in person, learn the suburbs and apply with a local phone number. Never rent a long-term home you haven’t seen: see Rental scams.

Holding fee and next steps

In NSW, once your application is approved, you may be asked for a holding fee of up to one week’s rent. The landlord then can’t sign with anyone else for 7 days, and the fee goes towards your rent if you sign. Then you sign the lease, pay the bond and rent in advance. Renting: bond, leases and bills explains each step by state.