Victim-survivors of domestic violence will soon have greater power to leave unsafe homes and protect their privacy under new rental reforms introduced by the NSW Government in NSW Parliament today.

The Residential Tenancies Amendment (Domestic Violence Reform) Bill 2025 introduces changes to the process for leaving a tenancy due to domestic violence to better support victim-survivors.

The reforms will:

• Make it easier for victim-survivors to leave a tenancy by:
  • Removing the need for victim-survivors to notify an alleged perpetrator that they have left their shared lease due to domestic abuse;
  • Expanding the list of approved people who can declare a renter is experiencing domestic violence so they can break a lease without penalty.
  • The expanded list will help vulnerable groups such as people with a disability, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and people from non-English speaking backgrounds better access protections under the Act. 

• Strengthen privacy and security protections by:
  • Allowing locks to be changed without landlord approval if there is a court order or bail or parole conditions that exclude the alleged perpetrator from the property;
  • Requiring permission from renters for images or videos of the exterior of the property that show their belongings to be published in advertising in order to reduce the risk of victim-survivors being tracked down by perpetrators.

• Improve a ban on listing victims on residential tenancy databases by allowing Fair Trading to order a listing be removed if the victim-survivor can provide evidence of domestic abuse.

• Make it clear victim-survivors are not liable for property damage caused by a perpetrator by allowing NCAT to decide whether the damage was likely to have been caused during an incident of domestic abuse.  

• Support victim-survivors to recover their share of the rental bond by giving NCAT the power to break up the bond and ordering partial repayments to a co-tenant. 

The changes follow extensive consultation with more than 400 individuals and 40 organisations, including frontline services, and deliver on recommendations from the statutory review of the domestic violence provisions in the Residential Tenancies Act 2010.

These reforms build on our work to expand the Rentstart Bond Loan scheme, which allows victim-survivors of domestic violence to access a loan of up to 100 per cent of their rental bond to secure accommodation. 

Premier of New South Wales, Chris Minns said, “These reforms are about making common-sense changes so women and families can get out of unsafe situations quickly, without unnecessary red tape.”

“We’ve listened to victim-survivors and frontline services. The message was clear: the law needed to work better in real-life situations. That’s exactly what these changes deliver.”

Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading Anoulack Chanthivong said, “These rental reforms are practical and compassionate changes which make it easier for victim-survivors to leave unsafe situations without facing unnecessary barriers.

“Access to safe and affordable housing is a critical issue for victim-survivors of domestic violence. Many victim-survivors are unable to leave abusive relationships because they have nowhere else to live. 

“For those victim-survivors who manage to leave, the negative consequences of the abusive relationship often reverberate through their lives and increase financial hardship for many years.

“We’ve listened to those with lived experience and the services that support them to ensure these changes provide real, meaningful protections.

“These critical reforms have been developed in close consultation with victim-survivors and frontline service providers. They will make a real difference to the safety and security of people experiencing domestic violence in NSW.

“At the heart of these reforms are safety, dignity and fairness and a desire to ensure rental laws work for those who need them most.”

Minister for Women and Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Jodie Harrison said, “No one should have to choose between their safety and their home, and these changes make it easier for victim survivors to leave their rental home quickly and reduce risk of further financial harm.” 

“These reforms are about the NSW Government strengthening protections for victim-survivors of domestic and family violence, including reducing liability for property damage and supporting them to recover their share of the rental bond. 

“We’re continuing to work hard to address domestic and family violence in our state, and these changes ensure victim-survivors have clear, practical pathways to safety.”