How Often Can You Raise the Rent in South Australia? The 2026 Rules

Raising the rent is one of the most common questions we get from landlords in Adelaide's north. The rules are not complicated, but one wrong date or the wrong form means the increase is not payable. A change in January 2026 also caught out a number of owners who had planned staged increases.

This guide covers the rent increase rules SA landlords need to follow in 2026, how a tenant can challenge an increase, and how we decide whether an increase is worth making at all.

How often can rent be increased in SA?

Rent can only be increased once in any 12 month period. The 12 months is counted from the start of the tenancy agreement or from the date the last increase took effect, whichever is later.

The limit applies in more situations than many owners expect:

• When a fixed term tenancy rolls over to a periodic tenancy.
• When a new fixed term agreement is signed with the same tenant.
• When the landlord and tenant agree to an increase between themselves.

What changed on 15 January 2026?

From 15 January 2026, the 12 month limit also covers increases agreed in advance. Before this change, some leases set out a series of staged increases, for example one increase at the start and another six months later. That is no longer allowed for residential tenancies. Rooming houses have a similar rule covering a six month period.

If your lease or your plans include more than one increase inside a year, they need to be changed. The second increase cannot take effect.

How much notice do you need to give?

At least 60 days written notice. Consumer and Business Services publishes a Notice of Rent Increase form for this purpose. Using the prescribed form, and keeping a copy of how and when it was given, protects you if the increase is ever questioned.

Count the 60 days carefully. If the notice falls short by even a day, the increase cannot start on the date you wanted. We usually allow a few extra days to cover delivery time.

Example: a tenancy started on 1 March 2026 with no increase since. The earliest an increase can take effect is 1 March 2027, and the notice must be given at least 60 days before that date.

Can you increase the rent during a fixed term lease?

Only if the lease allows it. The agreement must include a clause that permits an increase during the fixed term and sets out how it will be calculated, for example by CPI. Even with that clause, the 60 day notice and the 12 month limit still apply.

If your lease has no such clause, the rent stays where it is until the fixed term ends. At renewal, you can offer a new agreement at a new rent, still subject to the 12 month rule.

Is there a cap on how much rent can go up?

There is no fixed cap in South Australia. The increase must not be excessive.

A tenant who thinks an increase is excessive can apply to the South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (SACAT) within 90 days of receiving the notice. When deciding, SACAT can consider:

• The rent for comparable properties in the area.
• The general condition of the property and its state of repair.
• Whether the increase is out of proportion to the previous rent.

In practice, the new rent needs to be defensible against comparable lettings. An increase in line with similar homes in the same suburb is hard to challenge. One well above them is not, and an increase on a property with outstanding repairs is weaker again.

What does the rental market look like right now?

Adelaide's rental vacancy rate was 0.6% in August 2026, according to SQM Research. That compares with 1.3% nationally. Vacant rentals across Adelaide fell from 1,257 a year earlier to 1,019.

A tight market supports rent reviews, but it does not remove the risk of a vacancy. Tenants in a tight market still compare homes, and a home priced above the market can sit empty while applicants choose another one.

Should you increase the rent at all?

The legal side is only half the decision. The other half is the cost of getting it wrong.

Two weeks with no rent can wipe out a year of a modest increase. Advertising, a letting fee, cleaning and the time between tenants all add to that cost. A reliable tenant who pays on time and looks after the home has real value that does not show up on a rent roll.

Before sending a notice, we look at:

• What comparable homes nearby have actually leased for in the last few months, not what they were advertised at.
• The condition of the property and any repairs that are outstanding.
• How long the tenant has been there and how they have looked after the home.
• When the lease ends, and whether the increase is better timed for renewal.

Often the best result is a fair increase that keeps a good tenant in place. Sometimes the right answer is to hold the rent this year and fix a maintenance item instead.

Common mistakes we see

• Giving notice by text message or a casual email instead of the prescribed form.
• Counting 60 days from the wrong date, or not allowing for delivery.
• Increasing rent during a fixed term with no clause in the lease that allows it.
• Agreeing to a second increase within the same year.
• Increasing the rent while a repair request is still open.

Does this apply if you self manage?

Yes. The same rules apply whether a property is managed by an agency or by the owner. If you self manage, check that your lease, your notices and your dates line up with the current rules, because the January 2026 change is easy to miss.

How do you work out a fair new rent?

A fair rent is not a guess and it is not last year's rent plus a percentage. It comes from evidence. When we review a rent, we work through the same steps every time.

Find the right comparables. We look for homes that have actually leased in the last six to eight weeks, as close as possible to the property. Same suburb first, then the next suburb if there is not enough evidence. We match on the things tenants pay for: bedrooms, bathrooms, living areas, parking, yard size and condition.

Use leased prices, not asking prices. An advertised rent is what an owner hoped for. A leased rent is what a tenant agreed to pay. The two can be quite different, especially when the market is slowing.

Adjust for the differences. No two homes are the same. A home with ducted air conditioning, a garage or a renovated kitchen will lease for more than one without. A home on a busy road, or with dated fittings, will lease for less. We adjust each comparable up or down to make it a fair match.

Check how long comparables took to lease. If similar homes leased in a week, the market is strong at that price. If they sat for a month, the price was probably too high.

Land on a range, not a single number. The result is a range, and where the property sits in that range depends on its condition and how the tenant has looked after it.

What does a rent review look like, step by step?

Here is the process we follow for owners in the northern suburbs:

• Check the date of the last increase, or the start of the tenancy, to confirm the 12 month rule.
• Check whether the property is on a fixed term or periodic agreement, and whether a fixed term lease has a clause allowing an increase.
• Gather comparable leased rents and adjust them.
• Review the condition report and any outstanding repairs.
• Recommend a new rent, or recommend holding the rent, with the reasons.
• Once the owner decides, prepare the CBS Notice of Rent Increase with at least 60 days notice, plus a few days for delivery.
• Send the notice in a way that can be proven, and keep a copy.
• Update the rent ledger so the new amount starts on the correct date.

A worked example

Here is an illustration, not a real property. A three bedroom home in the north is leased at $550 a week. The tenant has been there 18 months, pays on time and keeps the home well. The last increase was 14 months ago.

Comparable homes nearby have recently leased between $570 and $590 a week. The property has older carpets and no ducted air conditioning, so it sits at the lower end of that range.

An increase to $570 a week is $20 more per week. Over a year that is $1,040 of extra rent.

Now compare the cost of losing the tenant. If the property sat vacant for two weeks at $570, that is $1,140 of lost rent, before advertising, letting fees and cleaning. A single vacancy can cost more than the whole year's increase.

In this example, a modest increase that keeps a reliable tenant is likely to be the better result for the owner. Pushing to $590 might gain an extra $1,040 a year, but it raises the chance the tenant moves and the chance a tribunal finds it excessive.

What should the notice include?

Use the prescribed CBS Notice of Rent Increase form. It should clearly show:

• The names of the tenants and the address of the property.
• The current rent and the new rent.
• The date the new rent starts, which must be at least 60 days after the notice is given and at least 12 months after the tenancy started or the last increase.
• The landlord or agent's details.

Keep a copy of the notice and proof of how it was sent. If you send it by email, make sure the tenant has agreed to receive notices that way.

What happens if a tenant applies to SACAT?

If a tenant thinks an increase is excessive, they can apply to SACAT within 90 days of receiving the notice. SACAT will look at the evidence from both sides. That usually includes the rent for comparable properties, the condition of the home and its state of repair, and how the new rent compares with the old one.

For landlords, the best preparation is the same work that goes into setting the rent in the first place: a list of comparable leased rents, photos and records showing the home is in good repair, and a clear explanation of how the figure was reached. A rent that is in line with the evidence is far easier to defend than one that is not.

Should you increase the rent at renewal or mid lease?

Many owners prefer to review the rent at renewal. It gives both sides a natural point to talk, and the new rent can be built into the new agreement. Remember that the 12 month rule and the 60 day notice still apply, and a new fixed term with the same tenant does not reset the 12 month clock.

A mid lease increase on a periodic tenancy is also allowed, if 12 months have passed since the last increase and proper notice is given. On a fixed term, it is only allowed if the lease includes a clause that permits it.

What records should a landlord keep?

• The tenancy agreement and any renewals.
• Every Notice of Rent Increase, with proof of delivery.
• The comparable rents used to set each increase.
• The entry condition report and inspection reports.
• Repair requests and invoices.

Good records protect you if an increase is questioned, and they make the next review faster.

Questions tenants often ask

Can my landlord increase the rent every six months? No. Only once in any 12 month period, including increases agreed in advance from 15 January 2026.

Do I have to pay an increase if the notice is wrong? If the notice does not meet the requirements, such as the 60 day notice period or the 12 month rule, the increase cannot take effect as stated. Contact CBS Tenancies for advice on your situation.

What if repairs are outstanding? The condition of the property and its state of repair are things SACAT can consider when deciding if an increase is excessive. Put repair requests in writing.

Need help with a rent review?

Royal Realty Group manages rental properties across Munno Para, Andrews Farm, Smithfield, Elizabeth and the wider northern suburbs. If you want your rent checked against current lettings in your area, we will do a rent review at no charge and with no obligation to change managers.

Call 0478 578 240 or email info@royalrealtygroup.com.au.

This article is general information only and is not legal advice. For your own situation, contact CBS Tenancies on 131 882 or seek legal advice. Sources: SA Government rent increases guidance, Consumer and Business Services rental reforms, SQM Research August 2026.