The short version
If you're a NSW renter dealing with Fair Trading vs NCAT, the short version is this: you need evidence, you need a timeline, and you need to put it all in writing. The longer version is below.
What follows is general information for NSW renters. It is not legal advice. For legal advice contact a solicitor, community legal centre or Tenants' Advice and Advocacy Service.
What you should be documenting right now
Most renters lose mould disputes not because they're wrong, but because they didn't document things as they happened. The cheapest, easiest, most powerful step you can take today is to start a proper record.
- →Dated photos of every affected area, including wide shots and close-ups
- →Short videos that pan across affected rooms and narrate what you're seeing
- →A written timeline of when you first noticed the issue and when you reported it
- →Copies of every email, text and portal message to the agent or landlord
- →Photos of any damaged belongings, with a rough age and replacement cost
- →Any inspection notices, repair invoices or cleaning receipts
Why renters get stuck
Renters typically get stuck in one of three places: they don't have enough evidence, they have evidence but it's disorganised, or they've waited so long that the timeline is unclear.
All three are fixable — but easier early than late. The longer the issue runs without documentation, the more room there is for the landlord or agent to argue cause, contribution or severity.
Your options when nothing is happening
If your repair requests are being ignored, you generally have a few avenues — escalation in writing, lodging with NSW Fair Trading, applying to NCAT, and seeking independent evidence to support your case.
Which path makes sense depends on the severity, your timeline, whether your belongings are at risk and what you ultimately want — repairs, rent reduction, compensation or simply being able to live there safely.
Where Fuck Mould fits
We help renters turn the chaos into a structured pack. A review tells you what evidence you already have and what's missing. An inspection adds independent on-site findings. An evidence pack pulls it all together for serious escalation.
We don't do legal work and we don't do remediation. We document, report and prepare evidence — and we point you to the right next step.