In Goulburn, New South Wales, NSW Fair Trading clarified on 13 February 2026 that landlords and agents are not allowed to pass on bank or merchant fees to tenants for mandatory fee-free rent payments. This means that local residents cannot be charged extra for using required electronic payment methods, such as bank transfers or BPAY.
The change provides relief for the 34% of Goulburn residents who rent, especially as the local rental vacancy rate sits at a tight 1.4%. While tenants are still responsible for any personal fees their own bank might charge, property managers must now ensure that at least one electronic payment option is provided without any added service or transaction fees.
According to the Real Estate Institute of NSW, local property agencies must update their receipts and payment systems to follow the new guidance. This ends the practice where some agencies passed on the costs of digital payment platforms to tenants, which previously added several dollars to the cost of every rent payment.
Further changes are coming on 2 March 2026, when all landlords will be required to accept rent through Centrepay to help make payments more accessible. With data from DPN showing median house rents in Goulburn are between $480 and $500 per week, the removal of these extra fees helps protect tenants from unexpected administrative costs.
