NSW End of Tenancy Survey Results: What Renters Should Know

NSW rental news | 13 October 2026

NSW has published its first results from the mandatory End of Tenancy Survey, giving renters and landlords a clearer picture of how leases end. The announcement was made on 8 October 2026. For anyone preparing to move, the key distinction is simple: this is new rental-market reporting, not a new cleaning rule or a promise about your bond.

The findings are relevant across NSW, including Sydney, the Illawarra and the Shoalhaven. They help explain the wider market, while your own move still depends on the details of your tenancy, the property's condition and the records you keep. Here is what the release says, how to read it carefully, and how to organise the cleaning and inspection evidence for your next handover.

Download our free rental handover evidence organiser (PDF). It gives you a place to index entry and exit photos, locate receipts and record follow-up questions. Use it alongside the official condition report, not instead of it.

What was announced on 8 October?

The NSW Government announced the first publication of results from the mandatory survey. It reported more than 275,000 landlord and agent responses, covering around 90% of bonds refunded during the reporting period. The release contrasts that coverage with the earlier optional survey, which had a lower response rate. Read the official announcement.

NSW Fair Trading's report overview identifies the period as the 2025–26 financial year. Its headline findings are:

• 15% of tenancies were reported as ending following a landlord termination notice.
• 85% were reported as ending because the tenant chose to end the tenancy.
• 63% of landlord terminations were linked to property sales or owner occupation.

Those figures come from the Fair Trading report overview. Notice the different denominators: the 63% refers to landlord terminations, not all tenancy endings. Mixing those groups would give a misleading picture of why people move.

What changed, and when?

The October announcement is the publication of results. The survey requirement itself started earlier: from 1 July 2025, landlords or their agents must answer a short survey when claiming or releasing a bond through Rental Bonds Online. Fair Trading says they have 14 days from the initial bond claim to complete it.

The landlord and agent questions cover who ended the tenancy and, where the landlord ended it, the reason. Tenant questions are voluntary. The previous voluntary survey operated from 2 August 2021 to 30 June 2025. These dates and participation rules are set out in Fair Trading's survey explanation.

That timeline matters when reading the news. An article published this month does not necessarily mean a requirement began this month. Likewise, a survey invitation is not the same document as a termination notice, a condition report or a bond claim. Keep each in the right part of your moving records.

What the figures can and cannot tell renters

The results offer a broad view of reported tenancy endings. They do not tell you whether a particular landlord acted lawfully, whether an individual tenant felt they had a realistic choice about leaving, or whether a cleaning charge is justified.

Our interpretation is that “tenant ended the tenancy” should be read as a reported category, not a complete account of that household's circumstances. A person might initiate a move for work, space, affordability or many other reasons. The headline percentage alone cannot separate those experiences, and it should not be treated as a measure of renter satisfaction.

Similarly, the statewide summary is not a forecast for your suburb. A Sydney apartment, a Wollongong house and a Shoalhaven rental can sit within the same reporting framework without having identical local pressures. We would need suitable local evidence before drawing conclusions about a particular area.

The practical lesson is to use market news for context and your own documents for decisions. If there is a question about the reason for ending your tenancy, get advice about the actual notice and circumstances. Do not assume that a common reason in a statewide survey makes every notice using that reason valid.

Does this change end-of-lease cleaning?

The survey release does not announce a new cleaning standard. Service NSW lists cleaning as a potential reason for a landlord's bond claim where a property has not been left reasonably clean, taking its condition at the start of the tenancy into account. That is a property-specific question. See Service NSW's bond-claim guidance.

A useful response to the news is therefore to improve your handover records rather than buy an extra cleaning package because a survey has been published. A receipt records work purchased; it does not, by itself, establish the condition of every surface at handover or settle a disputed claim.

Start with the incoming condition report. Fair Trading describes it as evidence of the property's condition at the beginning of the tenancy and explains that it can be used again at the end. Detailed descriptions and time-stamped photographs help establish what was present. Read the official condition-report guidance.

Build a handover file before the final clean

1. Locate the original records

Create one folder for the entry report, original photos, repair correspondence and relevant tenancy documents. Keep the files in their original form. If you make annotated copies to highlight a mark or a date, retain the unedited originals as well.

Give files useful names, such as “kitchen cupboard entry” and “kitchen cupboard exit”, while preserving their original dates and metadata. An organised folder is easier to discuss than a long camera roll with no obvious connection to particular rooms.

2. Separate cleaning tasks from condition questions

During your walkthrough, make one list of work to do and another of items needing clarification. Crumbs in a drawer belong on the cleaning list. A pre-existing chip documented in the entry report belongs in the condition record. A recurring leak needs its repair correspondence, not repeated scrubbing.

This is an organising method, not a legal ruling about responsibility. If the cause or responsibility is disputed, describe what you can observe and find the relevant evidence. Avoid guessing. For the cleaning jobs themselves, use our NSW end-of-lease cleaning checklist.

3. Agree the scope if you hire help

Ask what is included, what is excluded and what needs separate assessment. Mention access restrictions, remaining furniture and particular surfaces before the visit. Give the cleaner a factual list of tasks rather than a vague instruction to “make sure the bond comes back”.

For example, “clean the empty kitchen drawers and remove accessible residue from the oven using a suitable method” is a clearer scope than “fix the kitchen”. Keep the agreed scope and any invoice in your folder. Do not ask a cleaner to certify the legal outcome of a tenancy dispute.

4. Photograph the finished property

Once belongings are removed and the work is complete, take clear overview photographs and useful close-ups. Keep the room identifiable. A close-up of one mark without its surroundings can be difficult to match later. Include accessible cupboards, appliances and any specific areas already discussed.

Use ordinary lighting and avoid filters that alter the appearance of surfaces. Check that photographs are in focus before leaving. Do not include other people's personal documents, and keep your evidence folder private unless you need to share relevant records.

5. Arrange the inspection and record the handover

NSW's moving-out guidance says the landlord or agent must give the tenant a reasonable opportunity to attend the final inspection. It also notes that the condition report may be completed without you if you do not attend. Ask about the arrangements early enough to plan around them. Read the moving-out steps.

Record when and how keys were returned and save confirmation if provided. If a cleaning concern is raised, ask for the location, photographs and a clear description of the requested work. Respond with the relevant records, keeping the exchange factual and easy to follow.

A practical example: a mark raised after inspection

Imagine an agent emails about a mark inside a bedroom cupboard after the final inspection. An organised response would identify the cupboard, compare the entry and exit photographs, and check the relevant condition-report entry. If the photos do not show enough detail, acknowledge that limitation rather than claiming they prove more than they do.

If it is an overlooked cleaning task, you can discuss the requested remedy and practical access arrangements. If it appears to be a pre-existing defect or a disputed condition issue, gather the supporting records and seek tenancy advice where needed. Neither the statewide survey nor a generic cleaning checklist resolves that individual question.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Treating the survey as a bond decision: the reporting process and a claim about your property serve different purposes.
• Reading statewide percentages as local predictions: the headline figures do not establish what will happen in your suburb.
• Relying only on a cleaning receipt: keep the scope, condition records and photographs together.
• Leaving evidence until after returning keys: organise the records while you still have lawful access.
• Using an unofficial worksheet as the condition report: our download is an index for your records, not the official form.

Frequently asked questions

Do tenants have to complete the survey?

Fair Trading describes tenant questions as voluntary. The mandatory requirement applies to landlords or their agents. Use the official survey guidance linked above if you receive an invitation and are unsure which process it relates to.

Does a professional clean guarantee my bond?

No. A cleaning service addresses an agreed scope of work. It cannot determine every issue involved in a bond claim. Check the actual concern, the property's starting condition and the supporting documents.

Where can I get help with a dispute?

The official condition-report guidance links to NSW Fair Trading's tenancy support and dispute information. Seek advice promptly if a claim or notice has a deadline. This article offers general information and practical organisation suggestions, not individual legal advice.

If you need help with the cleaning work, contact Housekept to discuss the property and confirm a suitable scope. Bring your task list so the conversation starts with what actually needs doing.

Sources and checked date

Checked 13 October 2026. Sources: the 8 October announcement, 2025–26 report overview, and the official survey, bond-claim, condition-report and moving-out guidance linked throughout. The handover workflow and example are Housekept editorial suggestions. They are separate from the survey's findings.