Get legal help
The Tenancy Advice Service is a dedicated legal service for tenants renting in the ACT.
A tenant is someone who is renting a property.
The Tenancy Advice Service is a free and confidential legal service. This means we will not do anything without your consent, and we will not tell anyone you contacted us.
What we help with
We can help with most disputes between you and your landlord or agent, or disputes between you and other tenants.
These include:
bond disputes
ending a tenancy
family violence within a tenancy
if you are being evicted
if you’ve fallen behind on rent
problems with repairs, maintenance or mould
problems with sub-letting or share houses
problems within occupancy agreements, such as student accommodation
unfair rent increases.
We can help by:
giving you legal information on tenancies
giving you legal advice for your specific situation
representing you at the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal, where appropriate.
What we do not help with
We do not help with:
tenancy issues if you are a landlord
public housing
problems with strata or body corporate.
If we cannot help you, we will refer you to another service that can.
Contact us
Phone: 1300 402 512
- Monday to Thursdays 8.30am to 7pm
- Fridays 8.30am to 5pm
Email: tas@legalaidact.org.au
Online chat: https://tawk.to/tasact
Prepare for your appointment with us
Find out how you can prepare for an appointment with us.
Get help from other services
Onelink
OneLink provides information and connections to ACT support services for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
Tenancy Assistance Program
The Tenancy Assistance Program helps individuals and families at risk of losing their homes due to financial hardship, mental health challenges, domestic violence, or other complex issues.
Canberra Community Law
Canberra Community Law gives legal advice for tenants and occupants in public and community housing.
Care Financial Counselling Service
Care Financial Counselling Service can provide financial counselling support to people struggling to pay rent, utilities’ bills and general living expenses.
Resources
The law
The rental of property in the ACT is governed by the Residential Tenancies Act 1997.
Every tenancy agreement in the ACT must include the Standard Residential Tenancy terms.
The ACT government has created a guide to rental laws in the ACT: The Renting Book
Factsheets
- Neighbourhood disputes
- Ending a tenancy
- Landlord ending a tenancy
- Starting a tenancy
- Modifications to property
- Rights and obligations
- Access and privacy
- ACT tenancy laws basics
- Bond
- Condition reports
- Ending a tenancy to escape family violence
- Going to ACAT
- Mould
- Pests
- Pets
- Maintenance and repairs
- Occupancy agreements
- Subletting
- Rent increases
- Blacklisting
- Eviction
- Personal protection and family violence orders in a tenancy
Sample letters
You can download and edit these letters to use them for your own situation.