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Tasmania

Residential tenancy law in Tasmania

How renting works in Tasmania under the Residential Tenancy Act 1997, including bonds through MyBond, notice to vacate periods, yearly rent increases, minimum standards, pet requests and disputes before the Residential Tenancy Commissioner, the Magistrates Court and TASCAT.

Checked against official sources on 8 Nov 2026. General information, not legal advice. No lawyer or solicitor has reviewed this page.

Overview

Renting in Tasmania is governed by the Residential Tenancy Act 1997 (Tas). Since 1 October 2026 the Tasmanian Government's renting information, approved forms and Rental Services team have been run by Consumer Affairs Tasmania (1300 654 499), a business unit of the Department of Justice that took over this work from Consumer, Building and Occupational Services (CBOS). Every bond is held by the Rental Deposit Authority and managed online through MyBond. Disputes are split between decision makers: the Residential Tenancy Commissioner decides bond disputes, orders for repairs and applications about unreasonable rent increases; the Magistrates Court hears applications for vacant possession after a notice to vacate, compensation claims and appeals; and since 20 March 2026 the Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (TASCAT) decides disputes about pets.

The deadlines are short and they matter. In a private tenancy, a notice to vacate must state a ground set out in the Act and give at least 14, 42 or 60 days depending on that ground (Consumer Affairs Tasmania counts these as clear days). Rent can go up only if a written lease allows it (or there is no written lease), no more than once in 12 months, and only from a day more than 60 days after you are given written notice; if you think an increase is unreasonable, you have 60 days from the notice to apply to the Commissioner. The bond cannot be more than four weeks' rent and cannot be increased during the tenancy. Minimum standards for weatherproofing, cleanliness, repair, bathrooms, cooking, electricity, heating, window coverings and ventilation apply to rented homes unless the Commissioner has granted an exemption.

This page explains how a Tasmanian tenancy works from lease signing to bond refund: what the notice periods are, what can make a notice to vacate ineffective, how MyBond claims and disputes are handled, when the rent can go up, how to ask for a pet, and how to get help. It is general information about Tasmanian law, not legal advice about your tenancy. If you have received a notice to vacate or a bond claim, contact the Tenants' Union of Tasmania on 1300 652 641 promptly, because some steps have to be taken within 7 or 10 days.

Who this is for

  • You rent a home anywhere in Tasmania under a residential tenancy agreement
  • You have received a Notice to Vacate and want to know whether it is valid
  • Your bond claim has been disputed through MyBond and you want to know what happens next
  • You have received a rent increase notice and want to check the 12-month and 60-day rules
  • The property is cold, damp, needs repairs or does not meet Tasmania's minimum standards
  • You want to keep a pet and need to know how to ask the owner and what happens if they refuse
  • You need to leave a fixed-term lease early and want to limit what you owe
  • You live in boarding premises and are unsure which rules apply to you
LegislationShow
  • Residential Tenancy Act 1997 (Tas) (TAS)

    The main Act. It covers written agreements, rent and rent increases (ss 20 and 23), bonds and MyBond claims and disputes (ss 25 to 30), repairs (ss 32 to 36A), minimum standards (Part 3B), pets (Part 3C, in force from 20 March 2026), notices to vacate and their grounds and periods (ss 42 to 45), entry (s 56) and the roles of the Residential Tenancy Commissioner and the Magistrates Court. The Residential Tenancy Amendment (Safety Modifications) Act 2026, about tenants securing furniture, has passed but starts on a day to be proclaimed and was not part of the Act in force when this page was checked.

  • Residential Tenancy Regulations 2025 (Tas) (TAS)

    Made under the Residential Tenancy Act 1997 and in effect from 22 April 2025. They name the organisations that can contribute to a bond (Anglicare Tasmania and Loreto Community Housing), set the $300 threshold for selling abandoned goods, list the offences for which the Commissioner can issue infringement notices, take some short-term crisis accommodation outside the Act, and set the income and asset tests used for some social housing notices.

  • Magistrates Court (Civil Division) Act 1992 (Tas) (TAS)

    Governs the civil jurisdiction of the Magistrates Court. Residential tenancy matters, including vacant possession applications and appeals from the Residential Tenancy Commissioner's bond decisions, are heard there as minor civil claims.

  • Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth), Schedule 2 (Australian Consumer Law) (CTH)

    Applies to misleading or deceptive conduct by agents in trade or commerce, which can be relevant where a property was advertised inaccurately.

Courts and tribunalsShow
  • Residential Tenancy Commissioner

    A statutory decision maker under the Act. The Commissioner decides disputed bond claims referred through MyBond, makes orders for repairs (s 36A), decides applications about unreasonable rent increases (s 23), can order compliance with the smoke alarm rules, and deals with disputes about tenancy databases and boarding premises.

  • Magistrates Court of Tasmania - residential tenancy

    Hears residential tenancy matters as minor civil claims: owners' applications for vacant possession after a notice to vacate, urgent termination where serious damage or injury is threatened, disputes about reimbursing urgent repairs, compensation claims, appeals from the Commissioner's bond decisions and reviews of the Commissioner's rent and repair decisions.

  • Consumer Affairs Tasmania (formerly CBOS)

    The Tasmanian Government's renting regulator since 1 October 2026, when it took over this work from Consumer, Building and Occupational Services (CBOS). It publishes the approved forms and renting information, conciliates disputes between tenants and landlords, and takes enquiries on 1300 654 499.

  • Rental Deposit Authority (MyBond)

    Holds every Tasmanian rental bond. Bonds are lodged, claimed, approved or disputed online through MyBond, and disputed claims are decided by the Residential Tenancy Commissioner. Interest is not paid on bonds.

  • Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (TASCAT)

    Tasmania's general tribunal. Since 20 March 2026 its Civil and Consumer stream decides pet disputes under the Residential Tenancy Act: whether an owner's refusal or withdrawal of consent to a pet is reasonable, and whether an animal can be kept at the premises. Other private tenancy disputes go to the Commissioner or the Magistrates Court.

ProcessShow

  1. 01Starting the tenancy

    You sign the agreement and pay the bond through MyBond to the Rental Deposit Authority, or to a licensed property agent who must lodge it within 10 working days. The owner must not take the bond themselves. If a bond is required, you must be given two copies of a condition report: sign one, note anything you disagree with, and return it within 2 days. Photograph everything before you move your belongings in.

    Typical timeframe: Condition report returned within 2 days

  2. 02During the tenancy

    Rent is paid as agreed. The owner must keep the premises as close as possible to their condition at the start, apart from reasonable wear and tear, and meet the minimum standards. Apart from emergencies, the owner must give at least 24 hours' notice to enter for reasons such as routine inspections, which are limited to once every 3 months. If you want a pet, ask in writing using the approved form.

    Typical timeframe: Ongoing

  3. 03Breach and repairs

    Tell the owner about a needed repair within 7 days. General repairs must be done within 28 days of the owner receiving your notice. If an essential service such as water, electricity, heating or hot water stops working and the owner has not arranged the repair within 24 hours, you can authorise the nominated repairer. You can also apply to the Residential Tenancy Commissioner for an order for repairs.

    Typical timeframe: 7 days to report; 28 days for general repairs

  4. 04Notice to Vacate

    The owner must give a written notice stating a ground allowed by the Act and the date it takes effect. In private tenancies the period is at least 14, 42 or 60 clear days depending on the ground; some social housing grounds use 28 or 90 days. A notice for unpaid rent has no effect if you pay all the arrears before it takes effect, unless two or more such notices were served in the previous 12 months. A notice expires 28 days after it takes effect.

    Typical timeframe: 14 to 60 clear days in private tenancies

  5. 05Bond claim through MyBond

    After the keys are returned, the owner or agent should start a claim in MyBond within 3 working days. You then have 10 days from when the claim is lodged to approve or dispute it; if you do nothing, the bond may be paid out as claimed. Once a claim is disputed, each party has 10 working days to upload evidence and the Residential Tenancy Commissioner decides.

    Typical timeframe: Consumer Affairs Tasmania says decisions can take more than 90 days

  6. 06Magistrates Court application

    If you do not leave after a notice to vacate has taken effect, the owner must apply to the Magistrates Court for vacant possession and give you a copy of the application. You can attend and argue that the notice was not properly given or that the reason was not genuine or just. Appeals from the Commissioner's bond decisions are also made to the Court.

    Typical timeframe: Owner must apply within 28 days of the notice taking effect; bond appeals within 7 days

  7. 07Orders and enforcement

    The Court can order that vacant possession be given on a set date, that an agreement end, or that money be paid. It is an offence for an owner to try to regain possession other than in the ways the Act allows, such as a court order, and a possession order is enforced by a bailiff, not by the owner changing the locks.

    Typical timeframe: Set by the Court's order

Parties

  • Tenant

    The person named on the residential tenancy agreement. Co-tenants are jointly and severally liable for rent and damage.

  • Owner

    The landlord of the premises, called the owner in the Tasmanian Act, with duties to repair, to meet minimum standards, to respond to pet requests and to follow the notice rules.

  • Property agent

    The licensed agency managing the property. It can receive the bond but must lodge it with the Rental Deposit Authority within 10 working days, and it usually serves notices and handles MyBond claims.

  • Residential Tenancy Commissioner

    The statutory decision maker for bond disputes, orders for repairs and applications about unreasonable rent increases.

  • Rental Deposit Authority

    The body that holds every Tasmanian bond and processes claims through MyBond.

  • Resident of boarding premises

    A person living in boarding premises, covered by separate provisions with different periods: for example, a boarding resident can end the agreement with 2 days' notice and the owner must do general repairs within 7 days.

Time limits

These are general time limits described in prose. This page does not calculate a deadline for your matter.

  • Notice to Vacate (private tenancies)

    At least 14 clear days for a breach, including unpaid rent, or substantial nuisance; 42 clear days at the end of a fixed term or, on a lease without a fixed term, for sale, significant renovation, change of use or a family member moving in; 60 clear days where the owner's lender is selling the property or has obtained a foreclosure order

    Source: ss 42-43 Residential Tenancy Act 1997 (Tas); Consumer Affairs Tasmania, owner ending a lease

  • End of a fixed-term lease

    The notice must be served no more than 60 days and at least 42 days before the lease ends; if less than 42 days is given, the tenant can stay until 42 days after service, paying rent

    Source: ss 42(1)(d), 43(1)(c) and 43(3C) Residential Tenancy Act 1997 (Tas); Consumer Affairs Tasmania, owner ending a lease

  • Unpaid rent

    A Notice to Vacate for unpaid rent has no effect if all the arrears are paid before it takes effect, unless two or more such notices were served in the previous 12 months

    Source: s 43(2) Residential Tenancy Act 1997 (Tas)

  • Tenant ending a lease without a fixed term

    At least 14 days' written notice, and no reason is required

    Source: ss 38(1)(c) and 39 Residential Tenancy Act 1997 (Tas); Tenants' Union of Tasmania, breaking the lease

  • Rent increase

    Only if a written lease allows it or there is no written lease; written notice, with the new rent starting more than 60 days after the notice is given (Consumer Affairs Tasmania describes this as at least 60 days); and no earlier than 12 months after the agreement started or was extended or renewed, the last increase, or an order about an unreasonable increase

    Source: s 20 Residential Tenancy Act 1997 (Tas); Consumer Affairs Tasmania, rent increases

  • Unreasonable rent increase

    Apply to the Residential Tenancy Commissioner within 60 days after you are notified of the increase; either party can take the Commissioner's decision to the Magistrates Court within 60 days

    Source: s 23 Residential Tenancy Act 1997 (Tas); Consumer Affairs Tasmania, rent increases

  • Repairs

    Tell the owner within 7 days of the need arising; general repairs within 28 days of notice (14 days for a stove heating element); for an urgent repair the tenant can act if the owner has not arranged it within 24 hours

    Source: ss 32-33 Residential Tenancy Act 1997 (Tas)

  • Bond claim and appeal

    Approve or dispute a MyBond claim within 10 days of it being lodged; appeal the Commissioner's decision to the Magistrates Court within 7 days

    Source: ss 29F and 30 Residential Tenancy Act 1997 (Tas); Consumer Affairs Tasmania, claiming a bond and appealing a determination

Costs and helpShow

The Act allows a fee to be prescribed for disputing a bond claim, applying for an order for repairs or applying about an unreasonable rent increase, and the Commissioner can waive bond dispute fees. Consumer Affairs Tasmania's current pages on these steps do not list a fee, so check with Consumer Affairs Tasmania on 1300 654 499 before you apply. In the Magistrates Court, the filing fee for an application under the Residential Tenancy Act 1997 is $78.40 from 1 July 2026, and the Court publishes a fee waiver application form. Tenancy matters are run as minor civil claims: the parties must represent themselves unless the Court allows a lawyer in special circumstances, and legal costs are rarely awarded. The Commissioner's bond decisions are limited to the amount of the bond, so a larger claim has to go to court. Free help is available from the Tenants' Union of Tasmania, a specialist community legal centre for tenants, and Tasmania Legal Aid runs a free legal information line. Financial counselling services can help where rent arrears are part of a wider debt problem.

Tasmania Legal Aid (Legal Aid Commission of Tasmania)

Free legal information on 1300 366 611, with offices in Hobart and Launceston open on weekdays without an appointment. Its renting pages cover bonds and sub-letting and refer tenants to the Tenants' Union of Tasmania for tenancy problems.

  • Tenants' Union of Tasmania

    Specialist community legal centre for tenants, with free telephone help statewide on 1300 652 641, face-to-face help in Hobart, Launceston and Devonport, and factsheets on notices to vacate, bonds, repairs, pets and breaking a lease.

  • Consumer Affairs Tasmania - renting

    Approved forms, renting guides, minimum standards and MyBond, with enquiries on 1300 654 499.

  • Magistrates Court of Tasmania - rental disputes

    Information for tenants and owners on vacant possession applications, urgent termination, bond appeals and the forms to use.

Where to get help

  • Tenants' Union of Tasmania

    Free statewide telephone help for Tasmanian renters on 1300 652 641, with factsheets on eviction, bonds, repairs, pets and breaking a lease.

  • Consumer Affairs Tasmania - renting

    Official renting information, approved forms, minimum standards and MyBond, with enquiries on 1300 654 499.

  • Magistrates Court of Tasmania - rental disputes

    How vacant possession applications, urgent termination and bond appeals work, with the forms to use and what happens at a hearing.

  • Tasmania Legal Aid

    Free legal information on 1300 366 611 and walk-in help at its Hobart and Launceston offices.

  • Shelter Tasmania

    Peak body for housing and homelessness in Tasmania, which advocates for people at risk of or experiencing homelessness.

  • 1800RESPECT

    National domestic, family and sexual violence counselling, information and support service, free 24 hours a day on 1800 737 732.

Practical guidanceShow

What makes a Tasmanian Notice to Vacate valid?

A Notice to Vacate must be in writing and state the date it is served, your name, the owner's name, the address, the details of the reason and the date it takes effect. The notice period depends on the reason. In a private tenancy it is at least 14 clear days for a breach of the agreement, including unpaid rent, or for substantial nuisance; at least 42 clear days at the end of a fixed-term lease; and at least 60 clear days where the owner's lender is selling the property or has obtained a foreclosure order. On a lease that is not for a fixed term, the owner can also give 42 days' notice because the property is being sold, significantly renovated, used for something other than renting, or needed for a family member to live in. These grounds cannot end a fixed-term lease early, and a sale notice has no effect unless proof of an agreement to sell is served with it. Consumer Affairs Tasmania says clear days exclude both the day of service and the day you must leave, and a notice cannot take effect on a public holiday. A notice that gives too few days is not invalid: it takes effect on the day after the correct period ends. A breach notice has no effect if you fix the breach within the 14 days. For unpaid rent, paying all the arrears before the notice takes effect defeats it, unless two or more arrears notices were served in the previous 12 months.

How do bonds work through MyBond?

The bond in Tasmania cannot be more than four weeks' rent, and it cannot be increased during the tenancy. Pet bonds are not allowed. The owner must not take the bond: it is paid through MyBond to the Rental Deposit Authority, or to a licensed property agent who must lodge it within 10 working days. Interest is not paid on bonds. When the tenancy ends and the keys are returned, the owner or agent should start a claim in MyBond within 3 working days and give reasons for any deduction. You then have 10 days from when the claim is lodged to approve or dispute it. If you do nothing within those 10 days, the bond may be paid out as claimed. Once a claim is disputed, each party has 10 working days to upload evidence, and the Residential Tenancy Commissioner decides how the bond is paid out; Consumer Affairs Tasmania says this can take more than 90 days. Either party can appeal the decision to the Magistrates Court within 7 days. The condition report is the key evidence, so complete it carefully at the start, keep dated photographs, and take another full set on the day you hand back the keys. You are not responsible for reasonable wear and tear, and the Commissioner considers the age and condition of an item before the tenancy.

When can the rent go up in Tasmania?

The owner can increase the rent only if your written lease allows for an increase, or if there is no written lease. The owner must give you written notice of the new amount and the date it starts. The Act says that date must be more than 60 days after the notice is given; Consumer Affairs Tasmania describes this as at least 60 days' notice. The increase cannot start until 12 months after the agreement started or was extended or renewed, or 12 months after the last increase. Consumer Affairs Tasmania gives this example: on a 6-month lease renewed for another 6 months, the rent cannot go up at the renewal, because 12 months have not passed since the tenancy began. These 12-month limits do not apply to social housing, although the 60-day notice rule still applies. Under section 20 an increase can only take effect from a day that meets these rules. If a notice looks short or too early, the Tenants' Union or Consumer Affairs Tasmania can check the dates with you. If the increase is valid but you think it is too high, you can apply to the Residential Tenancy Commissioner within 60 days after you are told about it. The Commissioner looks at rents for comparable homes nearby and can cap the increase, but cannot reduce your current rent. Either party can take the decision to the Magistrates Court within 60 days. After an order about an unreasonable increase, the rent cannot go up again for 12 months. Prepare by collecting advertisements for similar homes, photographs and your repair requests.

What are Tasmania's minimum standards?

An owner must not rent out, extend or renew a lease on a home that does not meet the minimum standards in Part 3B of the Act. The home must be weatherproof and structurally sound, without significant dampness in the roof, floors, ceilings, walls or stairs; clean at the start and in good repair; and have a flushable toilet in a ventilated room, a private bathroom with a bath or shower and a washbasin with hot and cold water, and a kitchen sink with hot and cold water, a stovetop with at least 2 working elements (3 for homes with 3 or more bedrooms) and an oven. It must be connected to electricity with safe power points and adequate lighting, have a fixed electric or gas heater, a heat pump or a wood heater in the main living area, have curtains or blinds on bedroom and living area windows, and be adequately ventilated. Separately, the owner must fit and maintain the locks needed to secure the home. The Commissioner can grant exemptions. If your home falls short, ask the owner in writing to fix it. You can apply to the Commissioner for an order for repairs, or end the lease with a notice to terminate giving at least 14 days' notice; if the owner fixes the problem before the notice takes effect, the notice has no effect. A claim for compensation goes to the Magistrates Court.

What can you do about repairs that are not happening?

Tell the owner or agent about any repair within 7 days of the need arising, in writing if you can, and keep a copy. General repairs that are not your fault must be done within 28 days of the owner receiving your notice, or 14 days for a stove heating element. Urgent repairs are for an essential service that stops working: water, sewerage, grey water removal, electricity, heating, the cooking stove or the hot water service. The owner must arrange these as soon as practicable. If the owner cannot be contacted or has not arranged the repair within 24 hours, you can authorise the nominated repairer, who is paid by the owner. If there is no nominated repairer, you can use a suitable repairer, pay them, and give the owner the repairer's statement, the account and the receipt; the owner must reimburse you within 14 days unless they dispute it in the Magistrates Court within that time. Damage that is likely to cause further damage if left is an emergency repair with similar rules. For other repairs you can apply to the Residential Tenancy Commissioner for an order, and if general repairs are not done within 28 days you can end the lease with at least 14 days' notice. Unpaid rent is a ground for a Notice to Vacate, even while repairs are outstanding.

How do you leave a lease early without paying more than you should?

On a lease that is not for a fixed term, you can end the tenancy with at least 14 days' written notice, and you do not need a reason. On a fixed-term lease you can give a notice to terminate with at least 14 days' notice if the owner has not done repairs within 28 days of your notice, or has breached the agreement and does not fix the breach within the 14 days. Otherwise, leaving early makes you liable for rent until a new tenancy agreement starts or until the lease could have ended, whichever comes first. The owner must take all reasonable steps to find a new tenant as soon as possible and cannot claim for losses caused by failing to do so. The Residential Tenancy Commissioner's guide says an owner can claim evidenced third-party reletting costs such as advertising, but not their own time or the agent's reletting work, and that break lease fees are not allowed. Ask for evidence of how and when the property was advertised and when a new tenant moved in. Give written notice of when you are leaving, return every key and remote, and give a forwarding address. If you are leaving because of family violence or an unsafe home, contact the Tenants' Union first, because there may be a way to end the lease without these costs.

Who decides your dispute - the Commissioner, the Court or TASCAT?

Applying in the wrong place costs time. The Residential Tenancy Commissioner decides disputed bond claims from MyBond, orders for repairs and applications about unreasonable rent increases. The Magistrates Court hears tenancy matters as minor civil claims: owners' applications for vacant possession after a Notice to Vacate, urgent termination where serious damage or injury is threatened, compensation claims, appeals from bond decisions and reviews of the Commissioner's rent and repair decisions. If you want to challenge a Notice to Vacate, you do it at the hearing of the owner's application, where the Court checks that the notice was properly given and that the reason was genuine or just. Since 20 March 2026 TASCAT decides pet disputes. If you ask for a pet using the approved form, the owner has 14 days to agree, or to refuse in writing and apply to TASCAT, unless the pet is a dangerous dog; if the owner does neither, consent is taken to be given. An owner cannot ask for extra rent or bond for a pet. Whichever forum you are in, prepare a short timeline, documents in date order, printed photographs and a clear statement of the order you want. The Tenants' Union of Tasmania can tell you which path fits your problem before you file.

Checklist

  • Your written residential tenancy agreement
  • The condition report, completed, signed and returned
  • Move-in and move-out photographs and video, dated
  • MyBond lodgement confirmation and any claim or dispute notice
  • Rent ledger or bank statements
  • Any Notice to Vacate received, with a note of how and when it was served
  • The rent increase notice and the date of the previous increase
  • Written repair requests and the replies
  • Repairer's statements, invoices and receipts for repairs you arranged
  • Your pet request form and the owner's written reply
  • Any medical evidence where damp, cold or disrepair has affected your health
  • Your application to the Residential Tenancy Commissioner, the Magistrates Court or TASCAT

Common questions

How much notice must my landlord give me to leave in Tasmania?

It depends on the ground stated in the Notice to Vacate. In a private tenancy it is at least 14 clear days for a breach, including unpaid rent, or substantial nuisance; at least 42 clear days at the end of a fixed-term lease; and at least 60 clear days if the owner's lender is selling the property or has obtained a foreclosure order. On a lease that is not for a fixed term, 42 days also applies if the property is being sold, renovated, used for another purpose or needed for a family member. Those grounds cannot end a fixed-term lease early.

What are clear days and why do they matter?

Consumer Affairs Tasmania explains clear days as the days in between: neither the day the notice is served nor the day you must leave counts, weekends and public holidays do count, and a notice cannot take effect on a public holiday. A notice that gives too few days is not invalid, but it does not take effect until the day after the correct period ends. Keep a record of how and when the notice reached you, and ask the Tenants' Union to check the dates.

What is the maximum bond in Tasmania?

Four weeks' rent. The bond cannot be increased during the tenancy, even if the rent goes up, and pet bonds are not allowed. It must be paid through MyBond to the Rental Deposit Authority, or to a licensed agent who lodges it there; it is illegal for an owner to receive the bond. At the end of the tenancy a claim is lodged in MyBond, and you have 10 days from when it is lodged to approve or dispute it.

What happens if I dispute a bond claim?

Each party has 10 working days to upload evidence in MyBond, and the Residential Tenancy Commissioner then decides how the bond is paid out. Upload your condition report, dated move-in and move-out photographs, rent records and correspondence. The Commissioner allows only evidenced losses, does not hold you responsible for reasonable wear and tear, and can only decide how the bond itself is paid out. Either party can appeal the decision to the Magistrates Court within 7 days.

How often can my rent be increased in Tasmania?

No more than once in 12 months, counted from the start, extension or renewal of the agreement or from the last increase, and only from a day more than 60 days after written notice is given. If you have a written lease, it must allow for an increase. If you think a valid increase is too high, you have 60 days from the notice to apply to the Residential Tenancy Commissioner, who can cap the increase but cannot cut your current rent.

Can I be evicted just because my lease is ending?

The owner must still give a written Notice to Vacate, served no more than 60 days and at least 42 days before the lease ends. If less than 42 days is given, you can stay until 42 days after the notice was served, paying rent. If no notice is given, the lease becomes one without a fixed term. If you do not leave, the owner must apply to the Magistrates Court for vacant possession; it is an offence for an owner to take back possession any other way.

How much notice do I have to give to move out?

On a lease that is not for a fixed term you must give at least 14 days' written notice, and you do not need a reason. On a fixed-term lease you can end it with 14 days' notice only if the owner has not done repairs within 28 days or has breached the agreement and not fixed it. Otherwise you may owe rent until a new tenant's agreement starts or the lease ends, plus evidenced advertising costs. The owner must take reasonable steps to relet, so ask for the advertising records.

Can I keep a pet in my rental in Tasmania?

Since 20 March 2026 you can ask, using the approved form, and the owner must not refuse unreasonably. The owner has 14 days to agree, or to refuse in writing and apply to TASCAT, unless the pet is a dangerous dog. If the owner does neither, consent is taken to be given. Any conditions must be reasonable and cannot add rent or bond. A pet can be kept only with written consent, consent taken to be given, or a TASCAT order. Guide dogs and assistance animals do not need consent.

Sources

  1. Residential Tenancy Act 1997 (Tas) (accessed 8 Nov 2026)
  2. Residential Tenancy Regulations 2025 (Tas) (accessed 8 Nov 2026)
  3. Residential Tenancy Amendment (Pets) Act 2025 (Tas), as made (accessed 8 Nov 2026)
  4. Residential Tenancy Amendment (Safety Modifications) Act 2026 (Tas), as made (accessed 8 Nov 2026)
  5. CBOS transition to Consumer Affairs Tasmania from 1 October 2026 - CBOS (accessed 8 Nov 2026)
  6. Who we are and what we do - Consumer Affairs Tasmania (accessed 8 Nov 2026)
  7. Contact us - Consumer Affairs Tasmania (accessed 8 Nov 2026)
  8. Owner ending a lease - Consumer Affairs Tasmania (accessed 8 Nov 2026)
  9. Rent increases - Consumer Affairs Tasmania (accessed 8 Nov 2026)
  10. Rental bond lodgement and paying a bond contribution - Consumer Affairs Tasmania (accessed 8 Nov 2026)
  11. Claiming a rental bond - Consumer Affairs Tasmania (accessed 8 Nov 2026)
  12. Disputing a rental bond claim - Consumer Affairs Tasmania (accessed 8 Nov 2026)
  13. Appealing a rental bond dispute determination - Consumer Affairs Tasmania (accessed 8 Nov 2026)
  14. Pets in rental properties - Consumer Affairs Tasmania (accessed 8 Nov 2026)
  15. Breaches of minimum rental standards - Consumer Affairs Tasmania (accessed 8 Nov 2026)
  16. Requesting repairs and orders for repairs - Consumer Affairs Tasmania (accessed 8 Nov 2026)
  17. Urgent repairs to rental properties - Consumer Affairs Tasmania (accessed 8 Nov 2026)
  18. A Guide to the Residential Tenancy Commissioner (Version 3) - Consumer Affairs Tasmania (accessed 8 Nov 2026)
  19. Rental disputes: Information for tenants - Magistrates Court of Tasmania (accessed 8 Nov 2026)
  20. Rental disputes: Information for property owners - Magistrates Court of Tasmania (accessed 8 Nov 2026)
  21. Minor civil claims - Magistrates Court of Tasmania (accessed 8 Nov 2026)
  22. Fees - Civil Division - Magistrates Court of Tasmania (accessed 8 Nov 2026)
  23. Circular to Practitioners No 1 of 2026 - Fees (Annual Increase) effective 1 July 2026 - Law Society of Tasmania (accessed 8 Nov 2026)
  24. Magistrates Court (Civil Division) (Fees) Regulations 2018 (Tas) (accessed 8 Nov 2026)
  25. Forms (including the fee waiver application) - Magistrates Court of Tasmania (accessed 8 Nov 2026)
  26. Notice to Vacate (Eviction Notice) - Tenants' Union of Tasmania (accessed 8 Nov 2026)
  27. Breaking the Lease - Tenants' Union of Tasmania (accessed 8 Nov 2026)
  28. Pets in Rentals - Tenants' Union of Tasmania (accessed 8 Nov 2026)
  29. Tenants' Union of Tasmania (accessed 8 Nov 2026)
  30. Tasmania Legal Aid (accessed 8 Nov 2026)
This is general legal information, not legal advice. It does not claim that a solicitor has reviewed this page for your situation, and it does not create a solicitor-client relationship.

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Renting Laws in Tasmania: Tenant Rights & Bonds
Renting Laws in Tasmania: Tenant Rights & Bonds - newlaw.ai