Rent Check

To calculate the median rent range, we look at rental bond information from the last 3 months for properties of the same type with the same number of bedrooms in a given postcode. A rental bond is money paid by a tenant to a landlord or agent, held by NSW Fair Trading as security against the property.

To calculate the median range, we look at rental bond information and:

• arrange the prices in a list from lowest to highest
• find the middle price in the list (the median)
• find the middle value of the lower half of the list (first quartile)
• find the middle value of the upper half of the list (third quartile).

This range, known as the interquartile range (IQR), represents the middle 50% of the data.

For privacy reasons, a result may not be generated if there are only a small number of rental bonds that have been registered for certain combinations of postcode, property type and number of bedrooms.

Median is a metric used in statistics and is the middle value of a set of numbers. The median rent price is the middle value when you list all the rent prices in an area from lowest to highest. It means that half of the rents are cheaper than this price, and half are more expensive. 

It’s a good way to understand the typical rent in an area without being affected by extremely high or low rents.

The median rent range data is based on postcodes rather than individual suburbs. This means that all suburbs in the same postcode will show the same median rent range result.

For privacy reasons, a result may not be generated if there are only a small number of rental bonds that have been registered for certain combinations of postcode, property type and number of bedrooms.

Rent Check is for information purposes and represents the median weekly rent in an area, based on existing rented properties where a bond is lodged. It is not the rental value of your particular property. If you think your current or proposed rent is higher than it should be, you can use this information to guide your research and discussions with the landlord.  

The Residential Tenancies Act protects tenants from having rent increases more than once in a 12 month period. If you consider your rent increase to be excessive, you can lodge a dispute with the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT). 

Find out more about rent increases and what steps you can take if you think your rent is excessive. 

Rent Check provides a median rent range for similar homes in a defined postcode. If you're a landlord, you should do your own research and/or get advice about setting your weekly rent. You should also take the following into consideration:

• the current median rent range for similar properties in the area
• the landlord’s expenses under the current or proposed residential tenancy agreement
• any fittings, appliances, or other goods, services or facilities provided with the property
• the condition of the property
• the accommodation and amenities provided in the property such as the number of rooms, layout, and additional features
• any work done to the property after the lease started that may have improved its value
• when the rent was last increased
• any other relevant factors.

 Learn more about when and how often rent can be increased.

Your landlord can set rents at their discretion in line with market rates and the condition and features of the property. Rent can only be increased once every 12 months for periodic leases and fixed term leases of 2 years or more.

Many factors will determine the rent including:

• the median rent range for similar properties
• the condition of the home
• any additional features your home may include. 

Learn more about when and how often rent can be increased. 

We don't have enough available data for studios, so they are not included in Rent Check.