Tasmania Landlord Costs for Ending a Tenancy: Fees and Filing Costs

The Notice Is Free — Everything After It Has a Price Tag

Drafting and serving a Notice to Vacate under the Residential Tenancy Act 1997 costs nothing beyond the landlord's time (and an envelope if serving by prepaid post). But if the tenant does not vacate and the matter reaches the Magistrates Court, the statutory fees add up. Knowing what each step costs helps you budget before you serve, not after you have committed to the process.

Magistrates Court Filing Fees (From 1 July 2026)

The fee schedule for the Magistrates Court of Tasmania Civil Division is calculated at $1.96 per Fee Unit. The fees that apply to residential tenancy possession proceedings:

These fees are indexed annually based on Consumer Price Index movements under the Penalty Units and Other Penalties Act 1987. The figures above are current as at July 2026.

What a Contested Termination Costs End to End

If a landlord serves a 42-day notice, the tenant does not vacate, and the landlord pursues an Order for Vacant Possession through to Bailiff enforcement:

• Court filing fee: $78.40
• Enforcement process filing: $49.00
• Bailiff execution: $205.80
• Total statutory fees: $333.20

Add to that any prepaid postage costs for serving the notice and court documents, photocopying for the hearing, and time off work for the court appearance.

Solicitor Costs

If the termination is contested — the tenant challenges the notice's validity, alleges retaliatory termination, or disputes the genuineness of the statutory ground — most landlords engage a private solicitor. Typical hourly rates for Tasmanian solicitors handling residential tenancy matters run between A$350 and A$600 per hour.

Some firms offer fixed-fee packages for straightforward Magistrates Court applications. A simple, uncontested hearing where the notice is clearly valid and the tenant does not appear might cost A$500–A$1,000 in legal fees. A contested hearing with cross-examination on the genuineness of the ground or the validity of service can run significantly higher.

Legal Aid Commission of Tasmania provides free civil legal advice for eligible applicants, but private property owners rarely meet the means test.

Agent Notice Fees

Landlords who use a real estate agent to serve a Notice to Vacate on their behalf (without a full property management agreement) typically pay A$150–A$300 per notice for the administrative service. The agent handles the physical delivery and paperwork but does not represent the landlord in court proceedings.

If you are already on a full property management agreement (7%–10% of gross rental income), notice service is usually included in the management fee. The agent may charge an additional fee for attending a Magistrates Court hearing on the landlord's behalf.

The Cost of Getting It Wrong

A defective notice — wrong dates, missing grounds, improper service — is void. The landlord cannot fix it retroactively. The process restarts with a fresh notice, a fresh statutory period (another 42 or 14 days), and potentially another court filing fee if the tenant again refuses to vacate.

For a landlord selling a property, a voided notice delays vacant possession by six to twelve weeks. At median Hobart rents, that delay may or may not matter depending on the sale timeline — but if the buyer's contract stipulates vacant possession by a certain date, a voided notice can threaten the sale itself.

For a landlord dealing with rent arrears, a voided notice means more weeks of unpaid rent accumulating while the process restarts.

Budgeting Before You Serve

Before issuing a Notice to Vacate, budget for the realistic possibility that the tenant will not leave voluntarily:

1. Best case (tenant vacates): Prepaid postage (~$10) and your time
2. Court application (tenant stays, uncontested): ~$333 in statutory fees
3. Contested hearing (tenant challenges): ~$333 in statutory fees plus A$500–A$1,500+ in solicitor fees
4. Total realistic range: $10 to $2,000+

The Ending a Tenancy in Tasmania guide walks through each step with the current fee schedule, so you can map your specific scenario — arrears, sale, owner-occupancy or renovation — to the costs you should expect.

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