The NSW Government has announced that NSW Fair Trading is now using purpose-built data-matching technology to help identify potential breaches of rental re-letting exclusion periods. 

For agents and property managers, the announcement is an important reminder that rental compliance is becoming increasingly proactive and technology-driven. 

And while most agencies are already working hard to comply with the evolving rental reforms, this latest update reinforces the importance of having clear systems and processes in place around tenancy terminations and re-letting obligations. 

First: what are re-letting exclusion periods? 

As part of the NSW rental reforms introduced over the past year, “no-grounds” evictions were effectively removed. 

Under the current laws, if a tenancy is ended for certain reasons, landlords cannot re-let the property for a set period of time. 

Depending on the reason for termination, these exclusion periods can range from: 

• 4 weeks

• through to 12 months 

The purpose of the reforms is to ensure termination reasons are genuine and that renters are provided with greater certainty and protection. 

What has Fair Trading announced? 

According to the Government, the NSW Rental Taskforce has used a new data-matching tool to identify approximately 600 properties for potential breaches of exclusion periods. 

This has resulted in: 

• 13 formal warnings 

• 12 fines 

• more than $50,000 in penalties 

The announcement also noted that only a small percentage of identified matters required further investigation or disciplinary action, with most agencies and landlords appearing to comply with the new requirements once reviewed. 

What does this mean for agencies? 

The biggest takeaway is that rental compliance monitoring is becoming more sophisticated. 

Online rental advertising platforms are now playing a greater role in how potential compliance issues may be identified and reviewed. 

For agencies, this means strong operational processes are becoming increasingly important, particularly around: 

• tenancy termination procedures 

• record keeping 

• staff training 

• internal approvals before re-listing a property 

• understanding exclusion period requirements 

Even where mistakes are unintentional, agencies should ensure there are clear checks in place before properties are advertised for lease again. 

Practical steps agencies should consider 

As the rental reforms continue to evolve, agencies may benefit from reviewing: 

• how termination reasons are documented 

• how exclusion periods are tracked internally 

• who approves re-listing decisions 

• staff understanding of the updated legislation 

• supervision and compliance procedures within property management teams 

This is particularly important for larger agencies where multiple team members may be involved across tenancy management, leasing and advertising processes. 

This reflects a broader shift in regulation 

The announcement also highlights a broader trend across the property industry: 
regulators are increasingly using data, automation and proactive monitoring to support compliance activity. 

For professional agencies, this is really about ensuring systems, procedures and staff training continue to keep pace with legislative change. 

The rental reforms introduced over the past 18 months have significantly changed operational requirements for property management teams, including: 

• changes to tenancy terminations 

• annual rent increase limits 

• fee-free rent payment options 

• pet application reforms 

• restrictions around certain renter fees 

As these reforms continue to mature, agencies that maintain strong compliance frameworks will likely be best positioned operationally. 

What this means for the industry 

For well-run agencies, the announcement should largely reinforce the importance of consistent procedures and ongoing staff education. 

Most agencies are trying to do the right thing. But as rental legislation becomes more detailed, relying on informal processes or outdated habits can create unnecessary risk. 

Strong compliance systems are increasingly becoming part of day-to-day professional property management practice. 

How Under The Hammer can help 

Under The Hammer, we work closely with agencies across NSW to help property management teams stay informed and operationally prepared as regulation evolves. 

Whether it’s: 

• Supervision Guidelines 

• tenancy law reforms 

• operational compliance 

• CPD training 

• AML/CTF obligations 

• staff education and risk management 

Our focus is helping agencies understand what legislative changes mean in practice. 

Because increasingly, strong compliance isn’t just about regulation. It’s part of delivering a professional and well-managed real estate service.