PassPeersWhat landlords ask for
- Victoria: landlords and agents must use the official rental application form. They may ask for no more than two identity documents and no more than two financial documents from set lists. Source
- Victoria: you can't be asked about disputes with a previous landlord, your bond history, or for bank statements showing daily transactions. Source
- You will usually complete a condition report before moving in. Keeping the home in the same condition is how you get your bond back. Source
- Tip No Australian rental history yet? Bring your employment contract and references from previous landlords abroad.
Deposit rules
| State or territory | Maximum bond | |
|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | 4 weeks' rent | Source |
| Victoria | 1 month's rent, unless the rent is over $900 a week | Source |
| Queensland | 4 weeks' rent (since 30 Sep 2024); lodged with the RTA within 10 days | Source |
| Western Australia | Up to 4 weeks' rent; lodged with Bonds Administration | Source |
| South Australia | 4 weeks' rent if the rent is $800 a week or less; 6 weeks' above | Source |
| Tasmania | 4 weeks' rent | Source |
| Australian Capital Territory | 4 weeks' rent | Source |
| Northern Territory | 4 weeks' rent | Source |
- Before moving in you usually pay rent in advance plus a bond, and sign a lease. Read and understand the lease before you sign it. Source
Your rights as a tenant
- Tenancy rules, notice periods and rent increases differ by state and territory. The tenancy authority in each one explains them – links in the bond table above and in the sources. Source
Your first weeks
Signing a long-term lease for a home you haven't seen is risky. Plan somewhere to stay while you view homes in person.
- Attend an inspection before you commit, to check for flaws or damage. Source
- Tip Ask your health service whether it offers temporary staff accommodation or relocation help, especially for rural and regional posts.
- Tip Furnished short stays for the first weeks let you inspect long-term rentals in person.
What rent costs
Official statistics only. Your city can be far above or below the average.
Median weekly rent of rented dwellings in Australia, Census 2021 (2016: $340). Dwellings occupied rent-free are excluded.
Census figures are the latest official national rent median, but they date from August 2021. Rents differ strongly by city and suburb. Source
Avoid rental scams
Rental scams work best on people who can't view a home in person – for example because they are still abroad.
What police and consumer advisers in Australia say
- Warning signs: offers too good to be true, ongoing excuses why you can't view (the “owner is overseas”), and an upfront fee by money transfer to “secure” the property. Source
- Insist on inspecting the property – a drive-by is not enough; the home may exist but belong to someone else. From overseas, ask someone you trust to inspect. Source
- Search the advertiser's name and email address online, and avoid paying by money transfer. Source
If it happened to you: If you have been scammed, note where you found the ad and who you spoke to, and report it through Scamwatch. Source
Checklist before you pay anything
Never pay a deposit, rent or “key fee” for a home that you, or someone you trust, have not viewed in person – and not before you have a signed contract.
Advice from Report Fraud (UK police) · Scamwatch (Australia) · Verbraucherzentrale (Germany) · Make it in GermanyThe “landlord” is abroad and can't show you the home, but will send the keys by post or courier once you transfer money. This is the classic scam.
Advice from German police crime prevention · Verbraucherzentrale (Germany) · Scamwatch (Australia) · US Federal Trade CommissionThe rent is far below similar homes in the area, or you are pushed to decide and pay quickly.
Advice from US Federal Trade Commission · Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre · Scamwatch (Australia)You are asked to pay by money transfer service, gift card or cryptocurrency, or into an account abroad. That is like sending cash – it is rarely recovered.
Advice from US Federal Trade Commission · Scamwatch (Australia) · Report Fraud (UK police)Search the address, the photos and the advertiser's name online. Fraudsters copy photos from real listings, and the same home may appear elsewhere with a different owner.
Advice from Report Fraud (UK police) · US Federal Trade Commission · Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre · Scamwatch (Australia)Don't send copies of your passport or ID card, or your bank details, to someone you have never met before you have agreed to rent.
Advice from Verbraucherzentrale (Germany) · US Federal Trade Commission · Scamwatch (Australia)Fees just to view a home are a warning sign. In Germany, charging for a viewing is not permitted.
Advice from Make it in Germany · German police crime preventionIf you paid: call your bank at once, keep every message and the listing, and report it (links on each country page). Hang up on anyone who later offers to “recover” your money for a fee.
Advice from Report Fraud (UK police) · Scamwatch (Australia)
Where people search
- realestate.com.au Homes to rent
- Domain Homes to rent
- Flatmates.com.au Rooms in shared homes
Plain links to the main rental sites. PassPeers has no partnership with them. We don't copy or check their listings – use the scam checklist above for every ad.
Agencies that help you relocate
No relocation agency is listed for Australia yet.
Do you help health professionals relocate to Australia? List your agency.
Licensing routes into Australia
AU Doctor · Australia
Official fees from A$9,325
AU Pharmacist · Australia
Official fees from A$3,845
AU Nurse · Australia
Official fees from A$4,957
AU Dentist · Australia
Official fees from A$7,544
AU Physiotherapist · Australia
Official fees from A$8,321
AU Midwife · Australia
Official fees from A$4,957
Still choosing a city? Compare the regions of Australia in official figures.
Sources
- Consumer Affairs Victoria – Applying for a property
- Consumer Affairs Victoria – Bond amounts and payments
- NSW Government – Costs at the start of a residential tenancy
- Residential Tenancies Authority (Queensland) – Rental bond
- Consumer Protection WA – Changing a bond
- Consumer and Business Services (SA) – Bonds FAQs
- Tasmania (CBOS) – Rental bond lodgement
- ACT Revenue Office – About rental bonds
- NT Government – Security deposits and bonds
- Department of Home Affairs – Settle in Australia: housing
- ABS – 2021 Census QuickStats, Australia
- Scamwatch (ACCC) – Fake rental properties and shared accommodation listings
Last checked 20 October 2026. Rules change – confirm with the official page before you sign or pay. This page is general information, not legal advice. PassPeers is independent and not affiliated with any landlord, portal or authority.