New Rental Application Rules in South Australia — What's Changed in Cubbi


If you're advertising a property in SA, also read our guide on SA listing disclosure requirements.


Effective 1 January 2026

From 1 January 2026, South Australia introduced a mandatory standard rental application form (Form A1) under the Residential Tenancies Act 1995. This means landlords and agents can only collect the information that's on the prescribed form — nothing more.


Cubbi has updated its rental application to comply with these new rules. If you've used Cubbi before, you'll notice some changes when reviewing applications for South Australian properties. Here's what's different and why.


What You'll No Longer See on Applications


Profile photo

Renters are no longer asked to provide a profile photo as part of their application. Profile photos are not on South Australia's prescribed form, so they can't be collected or used to assess an application.


Date of birth

Renters applying for SA properties are no longer asked for their date of birth. This information is not required on the prescribed Form A1. ID and identity are still verified as part of the Cubbi screening process.


Pet information

Pet details are no longer collected during the application process. Under South Australian law, pets are handled through a separate approval process — not at the application stage.


Tenants can apply to keep a pet by submitting an "Application for approval to keep a pet on rental premises" form. You must respond in writing within 14 days. If you don't respond within 14 days, the request is automatically deemed approved. You can only refuse on specific prescribed grounds.


Learn more about pet approvals in South Australia


Occupant names and dates of birth

The application now only shows the number of occupants (people who will live in the property but aren't on the lease). Individual names and dates of birth for occupants are not on the prescribed form and can no longer be collected. You will only know if they are 18 or over.


You will still see the names of all renters (leaseholders) on the application.


Renter-purchased tenant check

Renters are no longer offered the option to purchase their own background check (NTD Tenant Check) through Cubbi. Under SA law, landlords cannot require or receive any payment from a prospective tenant other than rent or bond. Offering a paid background check could be seen as charging tenants to apply.


This does not affect your screening. Cubbi still conducts tenant checks as part of our professional screening process, and you also have the ability to run individual checks from your owner dashboard.


Reason for moving

Renters are no longer asked why they are leaving their current address. This is not on the Form A1 prescribed form.


Proof of address

Renters are no longer asked to upload proof of address for their living history entries. This is not on the prescribed form.


What's Changed But Still Collected

Occupants section renamed

"Adults" is now called "Renters" (people on the lease) and "Children" is now called "Occupants" (anyone else living in the property who isn't on the lease, including children and other family members). This better reflects what the prescribed form asks for.


Employment details are now optional

Company name, position title, location, and employment type are still shown on the application but are now marked as optional for SA renters. Under SA Regulation 8(1)(h), employment information other than a payslip or employment confirmation letter cannot be required. Renters can still choose to provide these details to strengthen their application.


Income references are now optional

Income references (verification contacts) are no longer required. Renters can choose to add a reference for their income source or skip it. If they skip, you'll rely on the uploaded documents instead. This doesn't mean there's a problem with the application — it just means the renter chose not to provide an income reference. As part of Cubbi's screening process, we verify that the evidence supplied (e.g., payslips) has not been edited.


Living history references (e.g. previous landlord or agent contact) are still collected when the renter has a rental-type living arrangement. SA Form A1 includes a references section, so these are expected as part of the application.


Living history — only current address required

SA renters are now told that only their current address is required. They can optionally add previous rental addresses to strengthen their application, but they are not required to provide a full address history.


Prescribed form identification

You'll see a reference to "Form A1 — Residential Tenancies Act 1995" on the application, confirming that Cubbi's application complies with South Australia's prescribed form.


Tenancy database disclosure

All applications now include a disclosure that Cubbi may check the renter's history using the National Tenancy Database (NTD).


Two additional disclosures now appear on SA applications:


  1. A note that providing false information or falsified documents carries a maximum penalty of $20,000 and an expiation fee of $1,200.
  2. A note that pets can only be kept at a rental property with the landlord's prior approval, and a separate pet approval form is available from Consumer and Business Services.

What Hasn't Changed

  • Income amount and frequency — Renters still provide their net income amount and how often they're paid
  • Income proof documents — Still collected (maximum 2 documents)
  • Bank balances — Renters can still optionally provide bank balance information to strengthen their application. Renters are not asked to provide a transaction history.
  • Identity documents — Still collected (maximum 2 documents)
  • Cover letter — Renters can still write a personal message to you
  • Rent per week offer — SA renters can still enter a rent amount (SA bans soliciting higher offers but not accepting them)
  • Preferred lease length and move-in date — Still collected
  • Property inspected confirmation — Still collected


Why These Changes Were Made

These updates are required by South Australian law. From 1 January 2026, landlords and agents must use the prescribed Form A1 and can only ask for information that's on that form. Collecting prohibited information or providing false information are offences with penalties of up to $50,000.


Cubbi has made these changes to protect both you and your renters. The information you receive is still enough to assess an application — it's just limited to what the law allows.


For more information about SA rental reforms, visit the Consumer and Business Services website.