Living in a boarding house
Understand your rights and responsibilities as a boarding house resident, including occupancy agreements, deposit rules, eviction notice, and how to resolve disputes.
Assisted boarding houses
Assisted boarding houses accommodate 2 or more people who need support or supervision with daily tasks and personal care. Assisted boarding houses are licensed by NSW Department of Communities and Justice.
Operating a boarding house
Boarding house operators must register with NSW Fair Trading, follow occupancy rules, provide written agreements, and ensure safety, cleanliness, and residents’ rights.
Search the boarding house register
The boarding house register lists all the boarding houses registered with NSW Fair Trading. It also contains the following information:
- the name and address of the boarding house
- the name of each proprietor of the boarding house
- whether the boarding house is a general boarding house or an assisted boarding house.
You can also search the register by accommodation type or local government area (LGA).
If you have a concern about a boarding house in your local area, you can contact your local council. The Office of Local Government NSW maintains the Local Government Directory which provides contact details for all councils in NSW.
For inclusion on the boarding house register, please complete the Boarding House Registration Form.
Templates, guides and forms
- Boarding house inspection report template for local councils
- Boarding house inspections fact sheet for local councils
- Guide for local councils to the Boarding Houses Act 2012
- Notification to register a boarding house on the register of boarding houses
- Standard occupancy agreement for general boarding houses under the Boarding Houses Act 2012