The notice arrived: rent up by $120 a week from next month. No explanation, no comparable evidence. You’re a good tenant who pays on time and looks after the place. In every Australian state and territory, rent increases must comply with strict notice, frequency and reasonableness rules — and a properly-drafted letter of demand is often the document that triggers a renegotiation.
The rules in your state
NSW: Residential Tenancies Act 2010 — minimum 60 days’ written notice; no more than once every 12 months in a periodic agreement; can be challenged at NCAT as “excessive”. VIC: Residential Tenancies Act 1997 — 60 days, once per 12 months; VCAT review for excessive increases. QLD: Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008 — 2 months’ notice; max once per 12 months; QCAT review. WA: Residential Tenancies Act 1987 — 60 days; max once per 6 months in a periodic agreement; Magistrates Court review. SA: Residential Tenancies Act 1995 — 60 days; once per 12 months; SACAT excessive-rent review. ACT: Residential Tenancies Act 1997 — 8 weeks; presumed excessive if exceeds CPI by more than 110%; ACAT. TAS: Residential Tenancy Act 1997 — 60 days; once per 12 months; RMPAT review. NT: Residential Tenancies Act 1999 — 30 days; once per 6 months; NTCAT.
Common landlord defences and why they fail
“It’s market rate.” The landlord must produce comparable evidence; assertion is not proof. “Costs have gone up.” General cost increases don’t justify rent rises beyond what comparable properties achieve. “We can charge what we want.” False — every state has an excessive-rent jurisdiction. “If you don’t like it, leave.” Termination in retaliation for asserting tenancy rights is itself unlawful in most states.
What the document does
A Letter of Demand challenging a rent increase puts the landlord on formal notice that the increase is contested, identifies the procedural or reasonableness defects, and proposes either withdrawal of the increase or a negotiated lower amount. It also preserves your right to apply to the tribunal within the prescribed timeframe (typically 30 days from the notice).
What Claim Done delivers
For a flat $79, Claim Done drafts your Letter of Demand with the correct Act citations for your state, the procedural and reasonableness arguments, and a clear counter-proposal. Far cheaper than the $300–$500 a tenant solicitor would charge.
What happens after
A meaningful proportion of landlords either withdraw or negotiate down once they receive a properly-framed challenge — defending an excessive-rent application at tribunal is expensive and risks orders against them. If they refuse, you can apply to your state tribunal within the prescribed timeframe.