NSW Landlord End Tenancy Costs: NCAT Fees, Sheriff Fees, and Holding Costs
The Direct Costs
Ending a tenancy in NSW doesn't require a lawyer, but it does have a cost structure that escalates the further you go through the enforcement chain. Here's what each stage costs as at July 2026.
Serving the Notice: $0
There is no government fee for serving a termination notice. The Termination Information Statement from Fair Trading is free to download. Your costs at this stage are practical: printing, postage (if serving by mail), and your time preparing the evidence package.
If you serve by registered post through Australia Post, expect to pay around $10–$15 for tracked delivery.
NCAT Application: $64–$128
If the tenant doesn't vacate by the notice date, you apply to NCAT for a termination and possession order.
| Applicant type | Standard fee | Concession fee |
|---|---|---|
| Individual landlord (residential tenancy proceeding) | $64 | $16 |
| Corporate landlord | $128 | N/A |
Concession rates apply if you hold an eligible Commonwealth Pensioner Concession Card, Health Care Card, or full-time student allowance card. NCAT's Principal Registrar can also grant fee waivers or postponements on proof of extreme financial hardship.
Warrant for Possession: Sheriff's Fee
If NCAT grants your orders and the tenant still doesn't leave, you apply for a Warrant for Possession. The Sheriff's Office charges $453 to execute the warrant as at 1 July 2026. The warrant must be executed within 28 days of issuance.
Locksmith: $150–$350
When the Sheriff executes the warrant, they supervise a locksmith changing the locks. You arrange and pay the locksmith. Expect $150–$350 depending on the number of locks, the time of day, and whether it's a standard residential deadbolt or a more complex system.
The Hidden Costs: Holding Costs and Delays
Direct costs start with the NCAT application fee. If Sheriff enforcement is needed, add the $453 execution fee, locksmith, and any service costs. That's rarely where the real cost lies. The expensive part is time.
Holding costs during the notice period. A 90-day notice period on a periodic agreement means at least three months between deciding to terminate and the earliest legal vacate date. If the tenant pays rent during this period, you're receiving income. If the tenant stops paying — common in arrears situations — you're absorbing mortgage payments, insurance, council rates, and maintenance costs without rental income.
Holding costs from an invalid notice. If your notice is defective (missing the Termination Information Statement, incorrect vacate date calculation, wrong ground, insufficient evidence), NCAT dismisses your application. You must serve a fresh notice and restart the entire notice period. That's another 14 to 90 days on top of the time you've already waited, plus a second applicable filing fee ($64 for an individual residential proceeding or $128 for a corporation, as at 1 July 2026).
Holding costs during NCAT proceedings. Hearing dates depend on the Tribunal's current schedule. The matter is initially listed for conciliation; if that fails, it proceeds to a formal hearing, which may be on the same day or listed for a future date.
Holding costs during Sheriff enforcement. After NCAT issues orders, the Sheriff's Office schedules execution. A Warrant for Possession must be executed within 28 days of issuance.
Total timeline from notice to possession depends on the notice ground, NCAT's hearing schedule, and whether enforcement is required. The notice period is 14 days for rent arrears or general breach, 30 days for an actual sale requiring vacant possession, and 60 or 90 days for other listed non-fault grounds. Every additional week without rental income adds to the cost.
How to Keep Costs Down
Get the notice right the first time. The single biggest cost multiplier is a defective notice that resets the clock. Check all six mandatory elements: written and signed, property address, exact vacate date, statutory ground, Termination Information Statement, and ground-specific evidence.
Calculate your postal buffer correctly. If you serve by mail, add 7 working days before the notice period starts. Undercounting by even one day invalidates the notice at NCAT.
Don't skip the evidence. A notice for proposed sale without the draft contract for sale or signed agency agreement will be dismissed. A notice for family occupation without the signed landlord statement (and the family member's statement, if applicable) will be dismissed.
Consider the full enforcement chain before you commit. If the tenant is cooperative but needs extra time, negotiating a specific vacate date by mutual agreement may cost less than running the full NCAT and Sheriff process — even if it means a few extra weeks of rental income foregone.
Our Ending a Tenancy in NSW guide includes the evidentiary attachment audit for each prescribed ground, a service date calculator, and the NCAT evidence binder checklist — structured to prevent the procedural errors that reset your timeline and multiply your costs.
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