Signing a lease and moving in

If your application is successful, the landlord or agent will take steps to sign a tenancy agreement with you. Check that you have their contact details so that you can follow up or ask questions.

Before you sign an agreement or move in, the landlord or agent must give you:

• a copy of the tenant information statement (available in other languages) 
• a copy of the proposed tenancy agreement
• 2 copies, or one electronic copy, of the condition report completed by the landlord or agent 
• a copy of the by-laws, if the property is in a strata scheme
• an invitation to lodge the bond using Rental Bonds Online or the opportunity to lodge using a paper form or in person at Service NSW.

Read through all the information you are given and make sure you understand what you are signing.

See our tenant's checklist for links to downloadable copies of these documents.

When you sign the agreement, the landlord must give you:

• the signed tenancy agreement
• certificates of compliance for any swimming and spa pools.

Read more about residential tenancy agreements.

Keys or other opening devices or information (for example, a garage remote or security access codes) must be also made available to you and any other tenant named in the tenancy agreement as soon as you have signed the lease. You cannot be charged for the first set of these items. These items should be for the rental property and for any common property that you are entitled to access.

You may be asked to pay a rental bond and rent in advance. You can tell the landlord or agent that you want to use your existing Rental Bonds Online login to pay the bond or they should invite you to sign up to use Rental Bonds Online for the first time. Alternatively, you can ask to lodge your bond via a paper form.

You would normally pay the bond before you sign the lease if you are using Rental Bonds Online.

You will be asked to fill in a condition report. Make sure you take plenty of photos while you are filling it out and that the landlord or agent has filled it out as well. If there are any things that need to be fixed before you move in, make sure you have an agreement in writing that these repairs will be done.

Electricity, gas and water are essential services that must be supplied to the rental property. Your tenancy agreement will state who is responsible for these utilities in a rental property and what is or is not included in the rent.

Telephone and internet services are up to you to set up. You must have written permission from your landlord to install a telephone or internet service, which cannot be unreasonably refused as this is considered an acceptable 'minor change' to the property.

Find a reliable removalist. If you need extra help with moving or other rental costs, find out what you might be eligible for.