How to rent in Australia with no Australian rental history
New to Australia with no local rental history? What landlords and agents actually assess, what can substitute for payslips, and the legal limit on rent-in-advance offers. Figures as at September 2026.
Read the full guide, with official sources →
Watch
Chapters
- 0:00 No rental history in Australia?
- 0:10 What agents actually assess
- 0:22 No payslips yet? Use these instead
- 0:34 Overseas references are accepted
- 0:45 Build a one-page rental résumé
- 0:56 Rent in advance has a legal limit
- 1:09 A common guideline: 30% of income
- 1:19 Bond-loan schemes exist
- 1:32 Stack proof, references and budget together
- 1:42 Where to read more
Transcript
No Australian rental history? Here's what actually gets an application approved.
Landlords and agents focus on three things: your income and employment, your references, and your rental history. For new arrivals, income is usually the deciding factor.
No payslips yet? A visa grant letter, an employment contract, or a statutory declaration from whoever's supporting you financially can substitute — plus a recent bank statement showing savings.
Overseas references count. A letter from a previous landlord confirming you paid on time, or from an employer confirming you're reliable, carries real weight.
A one-page rental résumé isn't standard here, but it helps you stand out: employment history, overseas rental history, languages, and copies of your references attached.
Offering a few weeks' rent upfront can help, but landlords can't legally demand more than state law allows — usually 2 weeks, sometimes up to 1 month. Check your state's tenancy authority.
A common guideline agents use: keep rent at or below about 30% of your gross income. It's a rule of thumb, not a legal requirement.
Most states run a bond-loan or rent-assistance scheme — like NSW Rentstart or Queensland's Bond Loan. Eligibility usually depends on residency or visa type, so check first.
There's no single fix for missing rental history. It's proof of income, real references, and a budget that clearly works, all stacked together.
The full guide, with the official sources, is on migratio.com.au. The link is in the description.
Talk it through with a registered agent
Every agent on Migratio is on the official OMARA register. Compare agents and their consultation fees.