Tenancy Advice & Advocacy
Free, confidential advice for tenants. We explore available options when you have a problem in your tenancy, whether in private or public housing.
What to expect
Three steps from first enquiry to meals at your door. If you're arranging this for a parent or relative, you can do all of it on their behalf.
Make contact
Fill out our online form to tell us about your situation. Upload a copy of your tenancy agreement or notices to help us understand your situation more quickly. You can also call us. Leave your name, phone number, email address, and suburb. We will call or email you back. When we call you, it will show a call from a private number.
We assess your enquiry
A team member will review your enquiry. While many questions can be answered, it is better to tell us what, when, where and how something happened and by whom. Some issues are outside tenancy, but we can refer you to appropriate services when we find issues that are outside our scope of services.
Ongoing support
When necessary, such as NCAT hearings, we can provide ongoing case support until orders are made.
Who this service is for:
If any of these sound like you, we can help — get in touch.
- You are paying to occupy a residential property
- You have an existing problem in private rental or in public housing
- Your rental property is in our service area (see suburb list below)
Access Tenancy Advice Services
The easiest way to reach us is through our online form, which is also the most private and secure option. The form will ask a few questions about your situation, and if you're able to upload a copy of your residential tenancy agreement at the same time, that helps us greatly. Between your name, the agreement and a short description of what's happening, we're usually able to understand the full picture without needing to ask follow up questions about your landlord, your real estate agent, or your rent.
If you'd prefer to call, our advice line is answered by a message bank. Leave your name, phone number and suburb, and one of our team will call you back as soon as they're able. When we return your call, it will come from a private number.
Once we've heard from you, an intake team member will work out the best next step. Many enquiries are general questions we can answer on the spot. Others involve needs outside tenancy, like financial counselling or mental health support, and we'll point you toward the right service for that. More complex or ongoing matters, including anything heading to Tribunal, are handled by one of our tenant advocates.
Outreach services near you
Alongside our phone and online service, we run in-person outreach sessions in a few local areas.
- Our Chester Hill outreach runs on the first Friday of each month, by appointment
- Our Bankstown outreach runs every Wednesday as a drop-in service.
- We also offer an outreach session in Hurstville through Advanced Diversity Services, running on the third Friday of each month.
Support that understands your rights
Our team includes tenancy administrative support staff, an intake officer who triages every enquiry, and tenant advocates who manage more complex tenancy matters and Tribunal support. Our coordinator oversees every case to make sure the advice given is accurate and consistent with the Residential Tenancies Act.
Southern Sydney Tenants Advice and Advocacy Service is funded through the NSW Fair Trading Tenants' Advice and Advocacy Program.
Tribunal Duty Advocacy
If you have a Tribunal hearing, we offer duty advocacy at:
Sydney NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) – Mondays
Liverpool NCAT – Wednesdays
Outreach Services Near You
We also offer outreach services at:
Chester Hill Neighbourhood Centre
- 89-91 Waldron Rd, Chester Hill NSW 2162
- First Friday of every month from 9:30am to 1:00pm
- (02) 9645 3700 (By appointment only)
Bankstown Service Hub
- 42 Raymond Street, Bankstown NSW 2200
- Every Wednesday from 10:00am-12:00pm (Drop-in service)
Get in touch — Tenancy Advice & Advocacy
Online Form (Preferred Contact Method):Please fill out the form below and share some details about your situation so we can assist you better.
Prefer to talk? Call 02 9787 4679, Mon–Fri 9am–5pm. Tenancy issues can carry stigma — a phone call is often an easier first step, and everything you tell us stays confidential.
Please leave a message with your name, phone number, and suburb, and we will get back to you as soon as possible.Please Note: When we call you back it will be from a private number.
Get in touch — Tenancy Advice & Advocacy
Tell us a little about your situation and we’ll be in touch. All enquiries are confidential.
If you’d rather speak to someone directly, you can call our advice line. It’s answered by message bank, so please leave your name, phone number and suburb, and we’ll call you back as soon as we can. When we return your call, it will come from a private number.
Not ready to fill in a form? Call us on 02 9787 4679 — our team can answer questions confidentially.
Prefer to talk? Call 02 9787 4679, Mon–Fri 9am–5pm. Financial issues can carry stigma — a phone call is often an easier first step, and everything you tell us stays confidential.
Please leave a message with your name, phone number, and suburb, and we will get back to you as soon as possible.Please Note: When we call you back it will be from a private number.
Client story
Ahmed, a tenant from Roselands, was living with disability and facing financial hardship when his landlord repeatedly ignored requests to fix severe mold and a leaky roof in the home he shared with his wife and two young children for twelve years. Ahmed reached out to Stepwise for support.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Our tenancy advice and advocacy service is completely free and confidential.
No. We support tenants with existing disputes. We do not have the capacity to help people find or apply for housing.
We can guide you through what’s needed, but we’re not able to complete forms on your behalf. If you have a support worker or coordinator, they’re best placed to help with paperwork before you contact us.
That falls under Fair Trading rather than our service, since it relates to professional conduct rather than tenancy rights.
No. The most useful thing you can provide is a copy of your residential tenancy agreement, which we can accept securely through our online form.
Our service covers tenants in the following suburbs:
- Bangor
- Bankstown
- Bass Hill
- Beverly Hills
- Campsie
- Carlton
- Chester Hill
- Cronulla
- Condell Park
- Earlwood
- East Hills
- Greenhills Beach
- Guildford (some parts covered by SWSTAAS and WESTS)
- Hurstville
- Kogarah
- Lakemba
- Miranda
- Revesby
- Riverwood
- Rockdale
- Sutherland
- Villawood (some parts covered by SWSTAAS)
Not sure if your suburb is included? Visit the Get Advice tool on the Tenants’ Union website. Enter your suburb. It will show you the right local service.
Is this service free?
Yes. Our tenancy advice and advocacy service is completely free and confidential.
Do you help tenants find somewhere to live?
No. We support tenants with existing disputes. We do not have the capacity to help people find or apply for housing.
Will you fill out forms or paperwork for me?
We can guide you through what’s needed, but we’re not able to complete forms on your behalf. If you have a support worker or coordinator, they’re best placed to help with paperwork before you contact us.
What if my problem is with my real estate agent, not my landlord?
That falls under Fair Trading rather than our service, since it relates to professional conduct rather than tenancy rights.
Do I need to bring identification?
No. The most useful thing you can provide is a copy of your residential tenancy agreement, which we can accept securely through our online form.
Where do your services cover?
Our service covers tenants in the following suburbs:
- Bangor
- Bankstown
- Bass Hill
- Beverly Hills
- Campsie
- Carlton
- Chester Hill
- Cronulla
- Condell Park
- Earlwood
- East Hills
- Greenhills Beach
- Guildford (some parts covered by SWSTAAS and WESTS)
- Hurstville
- Kogarah
- Lakemba
- Miranda
- Revesby
- Riverwood
- Rockdale
- Sutherland
- Villawood (some parts covered by SWSTAAS)
Not sure if your suburb is included? Visit the Get Advice tool on the Tenants’ Union website. Enter your suburb. It will show you the right local service.
Resources
For general tenancy information
The Tenants' Union of NSW has fact sheets available in English and 17 other languages.
