Rent increases

Find out if a proposed rent increase is allowed

There are rules about how often a landlord can increase the rent and by how much.

Use the rent increase calculator to find out:

• if a proposed rent increase amount is allowed
• if the notice period is sufficient.

If you are in a fixed term tenancy that started before 10 December 2024, the amount the rent can be increased by is determined by your tenancy agreement.

How often a landlord can increase the rent

Landlords can only increase the rent every 12 months.

This rule applies, even if the landlord and tenant have entered into a new, consecutive tenancy agreement. For example, If the landlord and tenant enter into a 6 month fixed-term tenancy and then agree to enter into a consecutive 12 month fixed-term tenancy, the landlord will be able to increase the rent 6 months into the second 12 month fixed term tenancy. This is because this is 12 months after the original tenancy agreement began.

How much notice a landlord must give to increase the rent

Generally, landlords must give tenants at least 8 weeks’ notice of a rent increase.

How much a landlord can increase the rent by

Generally, landlords can increase rent by no more than 10 per cent above the growth in the rents component of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Canberra. This is known as the prescribed amount.

This is calculated since either:

• the tenancy started
• the notice of the last rental rate increase was given.

If you are in a consecutive tenancy agreement, the tenancy started on the start date of the first tenancy agreement.

A landlord can increase the rent above the prescribed amount only if either:

• they tell the tenant in writing that the proposed increase is above the prescribed amount, and the tenant agrees to the increase in writing
• they apply for and get an order from the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal (ACAT).

CPI data is updated quarterly, therefore the amount a landlord can increase the rent by also changes quarterly. If there is no change in the Canberra Rental CPI then the prescribed amount stays the same and a landlord is not able to increase the rent.

Example rent increase calculations

If your current rent is $500 and the Canberra Rental CPI was increased by 2% since your latest rent increase (or the start of the tenancy agreement if the rent has not been increased), then the rent can be increased by 2.2% (or $11) from $500 to $511.

If your current rent is $700 and the Canberra Rental CPI was increased by 3% since your latest rent increase (or the start of the tenancy agreement if the rent has not been increased), then the rent can only be increased by 3.3% (or $23.1) from $700 to $723.10.

If your current rent is $1,000 and the Canberra Rental CPI was increased by 1% since your latest rent increase (or the start of the tenancy agreement if the rent has not been increased), then the rent can only be increased by 1.1% (or $11) from $1,000 to $1,011.

Different rules for fixed-term tenancy agreements that started before 10 December 2024

Fixed-term tenancy agreements that started before 10 December 2024, may include different arrangements for how much rent can be increased by. If they are different, these details will be in the tenancy agreement.

Rent increase disputes

The ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal (ACAT) decides disputes between landlords and tenants.

The types of orders ACAT can make about a rent increase include:

• allowing the increase applied for, or a different increase that ACAT considers just
• disallowing an increase
• disallowing part of an increase.

Find out more about rent increase orders and disputes on the ACAT website.