How much notice do I need to give to end my lease in NSW?

Q: Can a landlord deduct cleaning costs from my bond in NSW?

Yes, a landlord can deduct cleaning costs from your bond in NSW, but only if the property is not reasonably clean. The law requires you to leave the premises in the same condition as when you moved in, minus fair wear and tear. They cannot charge for a professional clean automatically if it is already clean.

Q: Can my landlord show my property to potential buyers while I am still living there in NSW?

Yes, your landlord can show your property to potential buyers while you live there in New South Wales. However, they cannot simply drop in. They must give you 14 days' written notice before the property is first advertised, and 48 hours' notice before each inspection. Inspections are strictly limited to two per week.

Q: Can I make repairs myself and deduct the cost from rent in New South Wales?

No, you cannot simply make repairs yourself and deduct the cost directly from your rent in New South Wales. You are legally required to continue paying your rent in full. However, for specific urgent repairs, you can arrange the work yourself up to the value of $1,000 and claim a reimbursement from your landlord.

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Answer

The notice you must give to end your lease in New South Wales depends on your agreement type. For a fixed-term agreement ending on its specified date, you must give 14 days' notice. For a periodic or rolling lease, you must give at least 21 days' notice. Break fees apply if leaving early.

Residential Tenancies Act 2010 (NSW) - Section 96, 97

Last UpdatedMay 1, 2026

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How it works in practice

Notice Periods for Periodic Agreements

If you are currently on a periodic lease, which is often referred to as a rolling contract, the law requires you to provide at least 21 days of written notice to your landlord or real estate agent. You can legally give this notice at any point during the tenancy, and the 21 days begin from the date the notice is officially received.

Notice Periods for Fixed-Term Agreements

If you intend to vacate the property at the exact end of your fixed-term lease, you must provide at least 14 days of written notice before that official end date. It is critical to remember that this notice applies specifically to leaving on or after the lease expiry date. Leaving earlier constitutes breaking the lease, which will attract financial penalties.

Delivering Your Notice Correctly

Your termination notice must always be provided in writing and clearly state the exact date you intend to hand back the keys. If you choose to send the notice by mail, you must factor in additional working days for postage delivery. Delivering the document by hand or via an approved email address ensures your notice period begins immediately. Always retain a copy for your personal records.

Important exceptions

You can give shorter notice under specific exceptional circumstances recognized by NSW tenancy laws. If you are fleeing domestic violence, you can end your tenancy immediately without penalty by serving a domestic violence termination notice.

You can give 14 days' notice on a fixed-term lease without penalty if the landlord puts the property up for sale without disclosing it before you signed the lease.

You can also give 14 days' notice if a co-tenant or landlord breaches the tenancy agreement significantly, or if the property is completely destroyed or rendered legally uninhabitable.

What you should do now

Check your residential tenancy agreement to confirm whether you are currently on a fixed-term or periodic lease.
Calculate the correct notice period required for your specific situation (14 days for fixed-term, 21 days for periodic).
Write a formal termination notice that clearly states the exact date you will vacate the property.
Deliver the written notice to your landlord or real estate agent via an approved method like email or hand delivery.
Pay your final rent up to the date stated in your notice and return the keys to the agent.

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