NSW Fines Landlords $50K for Fake Evictions

A new crackdown on rental evictions in New South Wales is working, catching landlords who lie to kick out tenants and immediately re-rent their properties to someone else.

Since May last year, NSW Fair Trading has issued 12 fines totaling $50,000 and delivered 13 formal warnings to landlords caught wrongfully evicting their tenants. One Sydney real estate agent was hit with a $35,000 fine for evicting a tenant from a Campsie property, claiming the landlord's relative needed to move in.

No family member ever showed up. The home was re-advertised the day after the tenant left.

"In this case, there seems to be a deliberate contravention to game the system," said Fair Trading Minister Anoulack Chanthivong. "And that's just not on."

The state government banned no-grounds evictions in May 2025, requiring landlords to provide specific reasons for ending a tenancy. Valid reasons include major renovations, selling the property, or moving in themselves or a relative.

To prevent landlords from simply lying, the government created waiting periods before properties can be re-rented. If a landlord evicts someone for renovations, they must wait four weeks before finding a new tenant. If they claim a relative is moving in, they can't re-let the property for six months.

The Ripple Effect

The rental taskforce investigated more than 600 wrongful eviction claims using purpose-built software that scans rental websites, matching listings against bond data and end-of-tenancy surveys. Only four percent of rental properties required investigation, suggesting most landlords are following the rules.

Rental Commissioner Trina Jones said the technology lets regulators focus on problem areas without burdening compliant landlords. The software automatically flags potential breaches, making enforcement far more efficient than relying solely on tenant complaints.

The relatively low number of fines shows the system is working as intended. "The vast majority of people do the right thing," Chanthivong said. "However, for those who are looking to game the system, we have significant and innovative data and technology tools to be proactive."

The crackdown protects vulnerable renters who might otherwise face eviction from landlords seeking higher rents from new tenants. In a tight rental market, these protections help families stay in their homes and communities.

Technology and tenant rights are combining to create a fairer rental system where honesty wins.