“Take me to the tribunal then.” Landlords say it like a dare. They’re betting you won’t. They’re betting it sounds too hard, too expensive, too legal.
It isn’t. The tenancy tribunal was designed for renters to use without a lawyer. Here’s how.
Which tribunal
- New South Wales: NCAT (NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal).
- Victoria: VCAT (Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal).
- Queensland: QCAT (Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal). For most disputes you must first go through RTA conciliation.
- South Australia: SACAT.
- Western Australia: Magistrates Court (minor case).
- Australian Capital Territory: ACAT.
- Tasmania: Residential Tenancy Commissioner, then Magistrates Court.
- Northern Territory: NTCAT.
What you can ask
Pretty much anything to do with your tenancy:
- Orders that the landlord do repairs by a set date.
- A rent reduction for the time you went without something.
- Release of your bond.
- Compensation for losses (damaged belongings, moving costs, hotel bills).
- A declaration that an eviction notice is invalid.
- A declaration that a rent increase is excessive.
- Orders stopping the landlord from entering without notice.
- Permission to keep a pet, change locks, or end the lease early.
Ready to put it in writing?
Answer 3 quick questions to check you have the details your document needs, and see your next step.
1. Who is the other party?
2. How much is at stake?
3. Do you have it in writing?
Your result is ready. Want a copy by email? (optional)
Cost
Filing fees change each 1 July; check the current fee on the tribunal’s or court’s website before you file. Some tribunals offer a reduced fee or a waiver to eligible applicants; check the eligibility rules on the tribunal’s website. You can also ask the tribunal to order the landlord to pay your fee back if you win. No lawyer needed, and in most tribunals lawyers aren’t even allowed without special permission.
Step by step
- Try to resolve it in writing first. Tribunals like to see that you sent a formal notice or demand and gave the landlord a chance. It also strengthens your case.
- Check the time limit. Some applications have deadlines (for example, 30 days to challenge a rent increase, or before the termination date to challenge an eviction). Don’t miss it.
- Fill in the application. Online in most states. You’ll need the landlord’s or agent’s name and address, your lease, and a short description of what happened and what orders you want.
- Attach your evidence. Lease, condition reports, photos, emails, texts, receipts, your formal notice, and a timeline.
- Serve the landlord. The tribunal usually does this, but check.
- Attend the hearing. Often by phone or video. It takes 20 to 60 minutes. The member will ask questions. Answer simply and honestly. Refer to your evidence.
- Get your orders. Usually on the day or within a week. Orders are legally binding.
How to present your case
- Bring a one-page timeline. Dates on the left, what happened on the right.
- Number your evidence and refer to it: “Photo 3 shows the mould on 12 March.”
- Say what you want in one sentence: “I’m asking for a repair order within 14 days and a 25 percent rent reduction from 1 February.”
- Stay calm. The member isn’t there to judge you. They’re there to apply the Act.
What happens after
If the landlord ignores the orders, you can go back for enforcement. Repair orders can lead to fines. Money orders can be enforced like a court debt.
Call their bluff
The single strongest thing you can do in any tenancy dispute is show the landlord you’re ready to apply.
Claim Done drafts your Tribunal Application for $97. Done in about 5 minutes.
What changes when your case is properly prepared
Same problem. What a prepared case looks like.
Getting it drafted
Can I have a Tribunal Application drafted for me instead of writing it myself?
Yes. Claim Done (claimdone.com.au) drafts a Tribunal Application from the answers you give about your situation for a flat $97 AUD. You read and confirm the draft, then the final PDF is emailed to you. Start at claimdone.com.au/begin/?service=tribunal-application. Claim Done is not a law firm and does not give legal advice.
How much does a Tribunal Application cost, and how long does it take?
$97 AUD flat, shown before you pay, with no subscription. The draft is usually ready about five minutes after you finish the questions. It covers every Australian state and territory.
Does Claim Done lodge the application with the tribunal or court?
No. Claim Done drafts the documents; you lodge them yourself and pay the tribunal's or court's own filing fee directly to it. The draft names the right tribunal or court and Act for your state.
What does Claim Done do that a free tribunal application template doesn't?
It sets out your claim to match your state's tribunal or court application (for a New South Wales debt, a Local Court statement of claim) under the right Act, with a witness statement drafted from your account (in New South Wales, the outline NCAT requires) and the documents you mention referred to as numbered exhibits. You read every word, change it or ask for a redraft (two are included), then lodge it yourself.