How many routine inspections can my NSW landlord do per year?
Your landlord can carry out no more than 4 routine inspections in any 12-month period, and must give you at least 7 days written notice each time — that is what section 55(2)(a) of the Residential Tenancies Act 2010 (NSW) requires.
That limit is a genuine legal protection. It is written into every residential tenancy agreement in NSW as a statutory term, which means it applies whether or not it appears in your lease. If your landlord ignores it, you can apply to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) for a remedy.
The 4-per-year rule
Section 55(2)(a) of the Residential Tenancies Act 2010 sets two requirements that must both be met every single time your landlord does a routine inspection without your prior consent:
- No more than 4 inspections in any 12-month period
- At least 7 days written notice before each one
Both conditions must be satisfied together. A landlord who gives adequate notice for a fifth inspection in one year is still breaching the Act. A landlord who turns up with only 3 days notice — even for inspection number one — is also breaching it.
The 12-month period is not a calendar year. It is any rolling 12-month window. So if your landlord did 4 inspections between February and November, they cannot lawfully do another one before February of the following year.
What counts as a “routine inspection”
A routine inspection is a general check on the overall condition of the property. The landlord looks at whether the place is being maintained, whether there is obvious damage, and whether any maintenance is needed.
This type of inspection is distinct from other reasons a landlord may enter. Repairs, health and safety compliance work, valuations, and showing the property to prospective tenants or buyers each fall under different parts of the Act with their own rules. Those are covered below. The 4-per-year cap applies specifically to routine condition inspections under section 55(2)(a) — not to every possible landlord visit.
What the landlord can look at
During a routine inspection, the landlord is entitled to check the general condition of the property. This includes visible fixtures and fittings, smoke alarms, obvious maintenance issues, and the overall state of the home.
What the landlord cannot do is go through your personal belongings, open drawers or wardrobes without reason, enter rooms without reason, or behave in a way that exceeds the purpose of the visit. Section 55(1) of the Act requires that entry be for the stated purpose only. Section 57(1)(c) requires that the landlord (or their agent) must not stay on the residential premises longer than is necessary to achieve the purpose of the entry.
Your right to quiet enjoyment under section 50 of the Act means the landlord must not interfere with your reasonable peace, comfort or privacy. An inspection that goes beyond a reasonable general check is capable of breaching that right.
Can the landlord take photos?
Yes, a landlord or agent can generally take photos during a routine inspection for their own records of the property’s condition — for example, to document a maintenance issue they’ve noticed. This is balanced against your right to privacy. They should avoid capturing your personal belongings where possible, and you can ask them to move on if a photo isn’t reasonably needed for the inspection’s purpose.
Photos intended for advertising the property for sale or lease are a separate category with their own rules under section 55(2)(d1) — you must be given reasonable notice and a chance to move personal items out of the frame.
Other reasons your landlord can enter — different rules apply
Routine inspections are only one of several grounds for entry. The other grounds have different notice periods and different limits.
Repairs and maintenance
For non-urgent repairs or maintenance, the landlord must give at least 2 days notice under section 55(2)(b). There is no annual cap on repair visits — the frequency is governed by what is actually needed.
For urgent repairs (such as a gas leak or burst pipe), no notice or consent is required under section 55(1)(b). The landlord or their agent can enter immediately.
For smoke alarm repairs or replacements, notice must be given in accordance with the regulations under section 55(2)(c1).
Showing the property to prospective tenants
If your tenancy is ending, the landlord can show the property to prospective new tenants a reasonable number of times in the 14 days before the agreement ends. Reasonable notice must be given each time. This is covered by section 55(2)(e).
Showing the property to prospective purchasers
If the property is being sold and you and the landlord cannot agree on inspection times under section 53, the landlord can show the property to buyers under section 55(2)(f) — but no more than twice in any one week, and only with at least 48 hours notice each time. Section 53(4) confirms that you are not required to agree to more than two buyer inspections per week.
Valuation
The landlord may enter to value the property under section 55(2)(d). This is limited to once in any 12-month period, and at least 7 days notice is required.
Photos or video for advertising
Under section 55(2)(d1), the landlord may enter once to take photos or video for marketing the property for sale or lease. This can happen in the 28 days before the property is marketed or the tenancy ends. Reasonable notice is required, and you must be given a chance to move personal belongings out of the frame.
Entry with your consent
Under section 56, your landlord can enter at any time if you agree. There is no notice requirement and no cap when you consent.
Time restrictions on all non-emergency entry
Section 57 applies to all entry that happens without your prior consent. Entry must occur between 8:00 am and 8:00 pm. Entry is not permitted on a Sunday or a public holiday. These restrictions apply to routine inspections as well as repairs and all other s55(2) grounds. Section 57(3) carves out urgent repairs and a small number of other emergency-type situations from these limits.
Your rights during an inspection
You do not have to be present during a routine inspection. Many tenants choose not to be home. If you are home, you are entitled to stay and be present throughout.
If the landlord or agent begins doing something that goes beyond a general inspection — such as opening personal items or entering areas without apparent reason — you can ask them to stop and to leave. You have the right to have the visit limited to its stated purpose under section 55(1).
The landlord must not stay longer than is necessary to carry out the inspection (section 57(1)(c)). They must enter at a reasonable time within the notified window.
Your tenant’s duty under section 58 is to permit access when the landlord is exercising a lawful right of entry. If the entry is not lawful — for example, if notice was too short, or it is a fifth inspection in 12 months — you are not obliged to allow it.
What to do if your landlord exceeds the limit
If your landlord attempts a fifth routine inspection in 12 months, or gives you less than 7 days written notice, they are breaching section 55(2)(a). This may also breach the s50 quiet enjoyment term of your tenancy agreement. Section 50(2) carries a maximum penalty of 10 penalty units for interfering with the tenant’s reasonable peace, comfort or privacy.
Document every inspection. Write down the date, keep copies of every notice you receive, and note what was inspected and how long it took. This record will matter if you need to take action.
Apply to NCAT. You can apply to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal for a finding that the landlord has breached the Act. NCAT can make orders including orders for compensation if you have suffered loss.
Respond in writing. If you receive a notice for what would be a fifth inspection, write to your landlord or their agent explaining that the statutory limit has been reached. Keep a copy of that letter.
Watch for “re-inspections”. Some agents book follow-up inspections shortly after a routine one and argue they don’t count towards the 4-per-year cap. They do. A follow-up visit for the same purpose is still a routine inspection under section 55(2)(a) and counts towards the limit. Routine inspections are for assessing the property’s overall condition — they are not a mechanism for enforcing a particular standard of tidiness through repeated visits.
Not sure whether your landlord’s entry was within the rules?
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Four per year is the statutory ceiling — not a starting point for negotiation. Many landlords do fewer, particularly in long-running tenancies where the relationship is settled. If yours is using all four slots every year, they are operating at the maximum the law allows.