Western Australia Rental Law Changes 2026

Part 13 of the Rental Rule Changes Watch 2026 series.

Western Australia is not just another Australia-wide tenancy checklist.

The Australian Taxation Office sets national rental tax expectations. Western Australian rental compliance is governed by Western Australian tenancy law and practical guidance from Consumer Protection Western Australia.

This guide is for Western Australia, Australia. It does not describe rental rules for New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory, or the Northern Territory.

The Reform Timeline To Keep In The File

The Government of Western Australia said the next stage of its rental reforms started on Monday 29 July 2024. The same statement said the reforms followed a May 2024 ban on soliciting rent bidding and changes empowering tenants to challenge retaliatory action by landlords in court.

For a property owner, the practical timeline is:

• May 2024: rent bidding and retaliatory action reform context
• 29 July 2024: rent increase timing, pets, and minor modification changes
• 2025-2026: Consumer Protection guidance and Commissioner determination processes for bonds, pets, and minor modifications are live operational records

Rent Increases: 12 Months And 60 Days Notice

Consumer Protection Western Australia says an agent, landlord, or park operator must give at least 60 days notice using the relevant rent increase form.

For residential tenancies, the rent increase page says a periodic tenancy increase can happen:

• no more than once every 12 months
• if tenants are given at least 60 days notice
• if the notice is in writing on Form 10 for residential tenancy
• if the notice includes the increased rent amount and the date it starts

For fixed-term tenancies, Consumer Protection says increases can happen no more than once every 12 months if the agreement says how much the increase will be or how it will be calculated, and tenants are given at least 60 days notice on the correct form.

Keep:

• the tenancy agreement
• current rent
• date of the last increase
• Form 10 notice
• calculation method, if fixed term
• service evidence
• tenant response
• comparable rent or market evidence, if used internally

Consumer Protection also notes tenants can challenge a rent increase in court. That makes the calculation and condition evidence useful even where the notice itself is valid.

Pets: Form 25, 14 Days, And Pet Bond Records

Consumer Protection Western Australia says tenants can keep a pet in most cases, but must get the landlord’s permission first.

During a tenancy, the tenant must ask using Form 25, the Pet Request Form. Consumer Protection says the landlord has 14 days, starting the day after receiving the form, to make a decision and let the tenant know, and to apply to the Commissioner for approval to refuse or set special conditions if needed.

Keep:

• Form 25
• date received
• pet details
• response date
• consent, refusal, or conditions
• Commissioner application records, if needed
• strata or local law records, if relevant
• pet bond record, if charged
• condition report photos
• damage, cleaning, or fumigation evidence where relevant

Consumer Protection says a landlord can refuse a pet without Commissioner approval if keeping the pet would break a law or strata rule. Other reasons, such as suitability, too many pets, possible damage beyond the bond, health or safety risk, or undue hardship, may require Commissioner approval.

Western Australia is different from some other states because Consumer Protection says a landlord can ask for a pet bond, subject to maximum amounts and lodging rules. Do not copy pet-bond assumptions from New South Wales or Victoria into a Western Australian tenancy file.

Minor Modifications: Form 26 And 14-Day Response Pathway

Consumer Protection Western Australia says tenants are able to make small changes called minor modifications, but must get landlord permission first using Form 26.

The landlord has 14 days to act on the request by making a decision and letting the tenant know. Where a refusal needs Commissioner approval, the landlord must also apply within 14 days. Consumer Protection says the tenant can assume approval if the landlord does not act on the request in 14 days, while still considering reasons a request may not be allowed.

Keep:

• Form 26
• date received
• proposed change
• approval, refusal, or conditions
• Commissioner application record, if needed
• invoices or qualified tradesperson evidence
• photos before and after
• keys, security codes, or access details if relevant
• end-of-tenancy removal or repair evidence

Consumer Protection lists examples such as picture hooks, wall anchors, water-saving shower heads, LED bulbs, window coverings, child safety devices, lock changes, vegetable or herb gardens, flyscreens, and draughtproofing.

Commissioner Determinations: Pets, Modifications, And Bonds

Western Australia uses Commissioner determinations for several practical disputes.

For pets and minor modifications, Consumer Protection says landlords may need to apply to the Commissioner for approval for some refusals or conditions. Tenants can apply if they believe the refusal reason does not apply or a condition is unreasonable. Both sides may be asked to provide information, and false or misleading information may result in a fine.

For bonds, Consumer Protection says the Commissioner for Consumer Protection can decide how to release a residential tenancy bond when tenants and landlords do not agree. The bond dispute page says the Commissioner will consider submissions and evidence, including lease agreements, property condition reports, photos, invoices, and other claim evidence.

Keep:

• Commissioner application records
• invitations to make submissions
• submitted evidence
• decision notices
• appeal records, if any
• property condition reports
• photos
• invoices
• correspondence with tenants or agents

Western Australia evidence files need to be dispute-ready, not just tax-ready.

How Proppi Would Structure A Western Australia Compliance Folder

For each Western Australian rental property, use folders such as:

1. tenancy agreement
2. rent increase notices
3. rent calculation evidence
4. pet requests and pet bond records
5. minor modification requests
6. Commissioner determinations
7. bond lodgement and release records
8. condition reports
9. repairs, cleaning, and fumigation evidence
10. court or appeal records

That keeps Western Australian tenancy evidence separate from Australian federal tax records.

For the tax side, see Australia Rental Tax Changes 2026: What the ATO Is Watching. For the broader state-by-state cluster, see Australia Rental Compliance.

Common 2026 Mistakes

The avoidable mistakes are mostly deadline and form mistakes:

• issuing a rent increase without the correct 60-day notice
• losing the last rent increase date across renewed agreements
• using vague fixed-term increase wording without storing the calculation method
• missing the 14-day pet request response pathway
• refusing a pet request without checking whether Commissioner approval is needed
• missing the 14-day minor modification response pathway
• treating Commissioner determination records as one-off emails instead of property evidence
• claiming bond money without photos, condition reports, invoices, and lease evidence

Source Note

This article is specific to Western Australia, Australia. It relies on Government of Western Australia rental reform statements, Consumer Protection Western Australia rent increase guidance, pets guidance, minor modification guidance, Commissioner determination guidance, bond dispute guidance, and the Residential Tenancies Act 1987. It does not describe tenancy rules in other Australian states or territories.

Rental Rule Changes Watch 2026

Published guides in this series:

• Rental Rule Changes 2026: What New Zealand and Australia Landlords Need to Track
• New Zealand Rental Law Changes 2026: The Landlord Action Checklist
• Pet Bonds in New Zealand Rentals: What Changes From December 2025
• IRD Rental Records for New Zealand Landlords: What to Keep in 2026
• New Zealand Bright-Line Test 2026: The Dates and Documents That Matter
• Australia Rental Tax Changes 2026: What the ATO Is Watching
• Holiday Homes and Short-Stay Rentals in Australia: The ATO Green, Amber, and Red Zones
• Australian Rental Deduction Apportionment: Time, Area, Family, and Redraw Traps
• Queensland Rental Law Changes 2026: What Property Owners Need to Track
• Victoria Rent Increases, Pets, and Minimum Standards: 2026 Guide for Rental Providers
• New South Wales Rental Law Changes 2026: What Property Owners Need to Track
• South Australia Rental Law Changes 2026: What Property Owners Need to Track
• Western Australia Rental Law Changes 2026: What Property Owners Need to Track

Keep Reading

• Australia Rental Compliance
• South Australia Rental Law Changes 2026: What Property Owners Need to Track
• Victoria Rent Increases, Pets, and Minimum Standards: 2026 Guide for Rental Providers
• How AI Document Management Works for Property

The Short Version

1. Western Australia rental compliance is state-specific.
2. Consumer Protection Western Australia says rent increases are generally limited to once every 12 months and require at least 60 days notice.
3. Pet requests and minor modification requests use forms and 14-day response pathways.
4. Some pet, modification, and bond disputes can go through Commissioner determinations.
5. Keep Western Australian tenancy records separate from Australian federal tax records.

Last reviewed: May 2026. State and territory tenancy laws, forms, notice periods, dispute pathways, and bond procedures are subject to change. The figures and rules above reflect publicly available guidance current at the date of publication — confirm the current rules with the relevant state or territory tenancy authority before acting on any obligation. This guide is general information, not legal advice — consult a qualified legal adviser for advice on your specific circumstances.