NSW Eviction Laws: Notice Periods & The End of No-Grounds

Navigating the New South Wales Termination Framework (2025 Reforms)

The residential tenancy landscape in New South Wales has undergone its most significant shift in decades following the 2025 Amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act 2010. For landlords and asset managers, the primary shift is the transition from a discretionary termination model to a strictly "grounds-based" system. Failure to adhere to these specific legislative prescriptions results in unenforceable notices and significant exposure to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT).

The End of "No-Grounds" Terminations

Effective 19 May 2025, landlords in New South Wales are prohibited from issuing "no-grounds" termination notices. This applies to both periodic agreements and the conclusion of fixed-term agreements. To legally end a tenancy, a landlord must now cite a prescribed reason under the Residential Tenancies Act 2010 or the 2025 Amendments. Valid grounds typically include:

• Intent to sell the premises with vacant possession.
• Significant renovations or demolition.
• Change of use (e.g., converting the property to a short-term rental or commercial space).
• The landlord or their immediate family requiring the premises for residence.

Termination for Breach: Rent Arrears

Under the Residential Tenancies Act 2010, the procedure for non-payment of rent remains stringent. A landlord may issue a non-payment termination notice only after the tenant is at least 14 days in arrears.

• Notice Period: The notice must provide a minimum of 14 days to vacate.
• The "Right to Remedy": In NSW, if a tenant pays the full amount owing or enters into an acceptable repayment plan before the termination date, the notice generally becomes void unless NCAT determines otherwise based on a history of frequent breaches.

Sale of Property and Vacant Possession

If a landlord intends to sell the property, the notice periods are dictated by the status of the sale contract:

• Proposed Sale (Periodic or Fixed-Term): A 90-day notice period is required if the landlord intends to sell. The termination date cannot be before the end of a fixed-term agreement.
• Actual Sale (Contract Exchange): If a contract for sale has been exchanged and the contract requires vacant possession, the notice period is 30 days. Note that this notice cannot be used to terminate a fixed-term agreement before the end of the term.

The Re-Letting Exclusion and Compliance

To prevent the misuse of "grounds-based" evictions, the 2025 Amendments introduced mandatory Re-Letting Exclusion periods. A landlord is barred from re-offering the property to the rental market for:

• 4 weeks: Significant renovations or repairs.
• 6 months: Proposed sale, demolition, or landlord/family moving in.
• 12 months: Change of use (e.g., converting to AirBnB or commercial space). Evidence of "sham" terminations—where a landlord evicts a tenant under the guise of renovations only to re-list at a higher rent—carries heavy financial penalties and potential compensation orders via NCAT.

Strategic Compliance Checklist

1. Validate Grounds: Ensure your reason for termination is explicitly permitted under the 2025 framework.
2. Service of Notice: Calculate notice periods strictly, allowing additional days for postage (typically 7 business days) if not served via email (where consented) or in person.
3. Documentation: Maintain contemporaneous records of the "grounds"—such as builder quotes for renovations or a signed statutory declaration for family occupation—to defend against potential NCAT challenges.

Data-Driven Compliance Summary

The following quick facts are derived from the primary governing legislation for new-south-wales.

Automated Compliance with Landager

Landager's platform is designed to operationalize the legal requirements mentioned above. By automating notice periods, rent increase tracking, and documentation storage, we ensure that landlords in new-south-wales stay within the letter of the law without manual oversight.

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