The rental market in Sydney and Melbourne is not like other places. It’s a lot more competitive than most people are used to.
Someone moving to Melbourne from a regional town might be used to calling about a place on Monday and moving in by Saturday. But it’s different in the big cities. Inspections are 40 people crammed into a two-bedroom apartment, everyone clutching folders of documents, all applying for the same apartment at $550 a week.
This guide covers everything a first-time renter in a major Australian city like Sydney or Melbourne needs to know: what to expect at inspections, how much budget to prepare before moving day, and how to make the rental process easier. Whether the move is from regional Australia or overseas, knowing what to expect makes the process a lot less stressful.
The Inspection Circus
Most open inspections run for 15–30 minutes. On weekends, expect to be joined by many other people. Some landlords choose to hold inspections by appointment only. Come prepared with a list of questions to ask about the property.
The rental market moves extremely fast in major Australian cities like Melbourne and Sydney. Have all your documents ready so that if you do like what you see, you can jump on it immediately. You can’t afford to wait a few days to get your ducks in a row. Someone else will already have snatched up the property.
What It Actually Costs
Rent is the obvious big cost, but don’t forget everything else you have to budget for.
You’ll usually need to pay a bond (security deposit) upfront of one month’s rent, plus the first two to four weeks’ rent in advance. On a $500/week place, that’s $3,000–$4,000 before you even move in.
Most rental properties don’t include utilities in the rent. So budget another $300-600 a month for electricity, gas, water, and internet.
If you’re renting an apartment or townhouse, you might also have to pay quarterly strata fees (or body corporate fees) to cover shared building costs like maintenance, insurance, and shared areas. You’ll have to weigh whether a place with cheaper rent, but high body corporate fees is the better option.
The Application Process Is Its Own Job
In Melbourne and Sydney, it’s normal for people to have to apply for multiple places before finally being accepted. Even with a decent rental history and full-time employment, the sheer amount of other people looking to rent at the same time as you will derail your rental journey. Some people apply over 10 times. It’s just how it works now.
With so much competition, applying for a rental property is becoming more and more like applying for a job. Agents are looking for rental resumes to help sift through hundreds of applications.
Have printed copies of the following on hand so you can act quick:
- Rental resumes
- Multiple forms of ID
- Payslips
- Character references from an employer, neighbour or colleague (not family members).
Must Do’s Before Signing the Lease
Read the whole lease before signing it. It will show you everything from whether or not you can have pot plants on the balcony to who is responsible for the gardening.
Take photos of everything when moving in — Every mark on the wall, every scratched floorboard, every stain that was definitely already there. Property managers have short memories when someone is moving out.
The bond goes through the relevant state authority (the RTBA in Victoria and Rental Bonds Online in NSW). Never pay a bond directly to the landlord. If they’re asking for cash or payment into a personal account, that’s a problem.
A Few Things That Made It Easier
Moving with a mate’s ute seems like a good idea until there have been six trips, a sore back, and a couch you can’t make fit. Hiring Sydney or Melbourne removalists from the start is usually the better call.
Location matters more than the apartment sometimes. A smaller place near the train saves hours each week. But make sure to check Google Maps during peak hour. That 25-minute commute can easily be 50.
Join local Facebook groups for the suburb. People post about dodgy landlords, decent tradespeople, and free furniture.
What to Do When Things Go Wrong
Keep records of everything: emails, texts, maintenance requests. If the hot water breaks and takes three weeks to fix, it will help to have that paper trail.
Tenants’ unions in each state publish guides on renters’ rights. Have a read of them. They’ll tell you landlords can’t increase rent whenever they want, and they can’t show up for inspections without notice.
Report broken things in writing through email or the maintenance portal. Text messages don’t always count and make sure to get a response in writing too.
Is Renting in Sydney or Melbourne Worth It?
The rental market is expensive and competitive and sometimes annoying. But people keep moving to Sydney and Melbourne for many reasons: The jobs, the food, the culture, and vibes.
Getting there takes preparation. As this guide has covered, that means understanding the true upfront costs, having documents ready before the first inspection, putting together a strong rental application, knowing what fees to watch out for, and understanding tenant rights when things don’t go to plan.