Read the advertisement and inspect
ACT advertisements must state a fixed rent and include required property information, including ceiling-insulation compliance. Check the energy information and any embedded-network disclosure for a unit or townhouse.
Inspect the property, then ask the manager for their application and relevant evidence requirements. Landlords and agents must not invite offers above the advertised rent.
Separate application evidence from lease documents
Ask which documents the manager needs to assess your application and why. Confirm the recipient before sending identity or financial files, and keep your own record of the submission.
Before signing, you must receive the proposed agreement and required information, including access to the Renting Book, insulation information and an asbestos report or advice. For a unit, the landlord must provide a unit title rental certificate containing the owners’ corporation rules and information about the complex.
Check payments before committing
The bond cannot exceed four weeks’ rent and must be lodged with the ACT Revenue Office. The ACT Government’s starting-a-tenancy guidance says tenants can be asked for up to two weeks’ rent in advance; check the current guidance against your proposed agreement.
Holding deposits, inspection fees and charges for receiving the keys are not allowed. An extra pet bond is also prohibited. Ask for an explanation if an upfront invoice contains these charges.
Prepare for a first Canberra tenancy
Consider the total cost of living in the home: the commute, parking, heating and utilities as well as rent. At the inspection, ask which services you would need to arrange yourself.
If you need help with the bond, check Housing ACT’s eligibility rules before paying. Its bond-help application can be made before you find a home, but not after you have paid the bond.
Your application checklist
0 of 7 checked. Your ticks stay on this page until you leave or reload.
General information for private residential rentals, based on the official sources linked here. Rules can change and different arrangements, including rooming accommodation and social housing, may have different requirements. Check the relevant authority for advice about your situation. Suggest a correction.