ACT rental laws for landlords: the only state that caps rent increases
Canberra is the only jurisdiction in Australia that caps how much rent can increase — and the cap is widely misread. A landlord's guide to the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 (ACT).
The ACT is the outlier on rent increases, and it's the rule most commonly explained wrong. Get the mechanism right before you plan a rent review.
The 110% rule applies to CPI growth, not to your rent
Every other state and territory leaves rent increases uncapped, with a tribunal challenge as the only check. The ACT actually caps the amount: increases are limited to 110% of the growth in Canberra's rents-specific CPI. The rule that trips people up is what "110%" applies to. It's not 110% of the current rent — it's 110% of how much the relevant CPI measure has grown. If that CPI figure hasn't moved over the relevant period, the cap allows no increase at all, regardless of how long it's been since the last one.
No-grounds evictions ended in 2019
The ACT was ahead of the rest of the country here — no-grounds terminations were abolished in 2019, years before NSW, Victoria, South Australia or Queensland followed.
Entry: twice a year, plus a final-month inspection
Routine inspections are limited to twice in any 12-month period, with an additional inspection allowed in the final month of a tenancy. That's less frequent than most of the mainland.
Pets: 14 days, with a tribunal step to refuse
The usual 14-day silence-equals-consent window applies. As in Victoria, Tasmania and the Northern Territory, a written refusal isn't enough on its own — the landlord needs an ACAT order to make it stick.
Energy efficiency has a hard 2026 deadline
Ceiling insulation to an R5 standard is required by 30 November 2026. This is one of only two jurisdictions with a firm energy efficiency date attached — Victoria's requirements start rolling in from 2027.
What we're leaving out, on purpose
Two things didn't clear our verification bar for this guide. First, the exact notice period required for each individual termination ground — these vary by ground under the Act and we don't have primary confirmation of each figure. Second, a commonly repeated "28-day" repair timeframe: that figure comes from a public housing target, not a statutory requirement for private-market tenancies, and we're not carrying it over as if it were the same thing. Confirm both with Access Canberra or a solicitor before relying on a specific number.
General information, not legal advice, current to the best of our research as at 30 July 2026. Confirm anything you're relying on with Access Canberra or a solicitor before acting on it. See the state-by-state rental law comparison for how the ACT compares with the rest of the country.