Landlord Guides · 9 min read
Window treatments for rental properties NSW: a landlord's guide
Chris & Campbell · 13 May 2026
If you manage rental properties in the Riverina or elsewhere in New South Wales, understanding window treatments rental properties NSW means covering three separate obligations: what the Residential Tenancies Regulation 2019 requires, what the ACCC cord safety standard prohibits, and which products hold up across the high-turnover investment homes that regional markets demand. This guide answers each question with the numbers and plain-language rules that landlords in Temora, Wagga Wagga, Griffith, and surrounding towns need to know. We offer a free measure and quote across the Riverina so you can see the options and pricing before you commit to anything.
Window treatments rental properties NSW: what the Residential Tenancies Regulation requires
NSW landlords have been legally required to supply and maintain window coverings since minimum standards took effect on 23 March 2020. The obligation, set out in the Residential Tenancies Regulation 2019, applies to bedrooms and main living areas and requires coverings that provide reasonable privacy when drawn. A bare window in a bedroom is a compliance breach, not just a presentation problem.
NSW Fair Trading, which administers residential tenancy law in the state, confirms that window coverings landlords supply must provide reasonable privacy in bedrooms and main living areas, and that failure to maintain them in working order constitutes a breach of the tenancy agreement. The Your Home guide to passive design and window performance also explains how window coverings interact with privacy and thermal comfort in Australian homes. The minimum standard does not specify product type; any covering that blocks a street-level sightline into the room when drawn satisfies the test. In bedrooms, sheer curtains alone do not meet the standard because they allow a clear view at night when interior lights are on.
Landlords must also maintain existing coverings in working condition throughout the tenancy. A blind with broken slats or a shutter panel that no longer closes is a landlord maintenance obligation once the tenant reports it, separate from normal wear and tear provisions. Failure to repair within a reasonable timeframe can lead to a maintenance breach notice.
ACCC child safety compliance for corded blinds
From 13 October 2023, the ACCC mandatory safety standard under the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 prohibited accessible free-hanging looped cords in any residence where a child under 18 may be present. Rental properties are directly caught by this standard because landlords cannot reliably predict or restrict whether children will occupy a tenancy over its full term.
The Product Safety Australia corded blinds compliance guidance details exactly what the standard requires. In practical terms, roller blinds must use a tension device (a bottom anchor that keeps the cord taut against the wall, preventing a free-hanging loop), a cleat system (a fixed hook mounted at adult height around which the cord is wrapped to keep it out of reach), or a cordless spring mechanism. Plantation shutters with louvre-rod control and aluminium venetians operated by a wand also comply. The standard applies to new installations; existing looped cords in properties likely to be occupied by children must be brought into compliance before the next lease begins.
Non-compliance carries real risk. Products that breach the standard can be subject to recall, and a landlord supplying a non-compliant product in a rental home may face enforcement action under consumer law. When we come to measure and quote your property, we check existing window coverings against the standard and flag anything that needs updating before it creates a liability issue.
Choosing window treatments rental properties NSW landlords can rely on
The window treatments rental properties NSW investors install most reliably are those that can be wiped clean, do not depend on fabric integrity, and have mechanisms built to handle regular operation without excessive care. PVC plantation shutters lead on all three measures; aluminium venetian blinds are a close second at a lower purchase price.
| Product | Rental durability | Privacy level | Cord-free option available | Expected lifespan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PVC plantation shutters | Excellent | High, adjustable | Yes (louvre rod) | 20-plus years |
| Aluminium venetian blinds | Good | High, adjustable | Yes (wand control) | 10 to 15 years |
| Blockout roller blinds | Good | Full blockout | Yes (spring roller) | 8 to 12 years |
| Fabric venetian blinds | Moderate | Moderate | Requires tension device | 5 to 8 years |
| Sheer curtains | Low | Low, insufficient alone | N/A | 3 to 5 years |
PVC shutters wipe clean with a damp cloth, do not warp in humid bathrooms, and the louvre mechanism holds up to daily handling across many years of tenancy. We have fitted PVC shutters across the Riverina that have outlasted four or five tenancy cycles without any meaningful wear. Aluminium venetians are a sound choice for secondary bedrooms or service areas where full blockout is not the goal. The Choice guide to curtains and blinds confirms that hard-surface products outperform fabric alternatives on lifespan under high-traffic conditions.
Not every product recommendation we have made has held up as expected. In 2019 we specified fabric cellular blinds for a six-property portfolio in Griffith, recommending them on cost grounds. Within two tenancy cycles, the fabric had yellowed on west-facing windows and two panels had torn at the mounting rail. We replaced the entire set at our cost. That failure shaped how we now approach coverings NSW clients ask us to specify: if a product cannot survive three years of west-facing Riverina sun, we do not recommend it regardless of its purchase price.
Selecting from hard-surface categories avoids the replacement cost that comes with fabric solutions. Sheer curtains should be avoided as a standalone solution in any room covered by the NSW minimum privacy standard. West-facing windows in the Riverina climate fade fabric within two to three years. Staining from cooking fumes and condensation, plus handling wear across multiple tenancies, means fabric products are likely to need replacement between leases, pushing their true cost above their lower purchase price over any five-year period.
How window treatments rental properties NSW affect rental yield and vacancy
SQM Research recorded vacancy rates below 1% across Wagga Wagga throughout 2023 and 2024, meaning rental properties in this market face almost no competition for tenants. Even in a low-vacancy environment, a well-presented property reaches asking rent faster and attracts applicants with stronger rental histories than one that looks unfinished on inspection day.
Window coverings are among the most visible features in a rental listing photograph and on inspection day itself. A property fitted with fresh, matched window treatments throughout photographs better, controls light effectively, and signals that the landlord maintains the home. A Canstar Blue review of window covering value for owners and renters found that window coverings rank among the top five interior features influencing tenant decision-making, a finding that applies equally to regional centres as to capital cities.
Energy efficiency is also relevant to tenant retention in the Riverina. The Australian Government guidance on household window efficiency notes that effective window coverings reduce heat gain through glass by 40 to 70 percent depending on product and fit. In Wagga and surrounding towns, Bureau of Meteorology climate data for Wagga Wagga shows summer temperatures regularly exceeding 38 degrees Celsius. A rental that costs less to cool holds tenants at renewal time, cutting the vacant days between leases.
Calculating your return on window covering investment
The return on investment comes down to three figures: total installation cost, improvement in weekly rent achieved, and reduction in average vacancy days per tenancy cycle. Each can be estimated from current local market data without guesswork. Take a worked example: a landlord installs PVC plantation shutters and roller blinds across a three-bedroom Temora property at a total installed cost of $5,800. The property had been achieving $380 per week. After the upgrade, the managing agent achieves $405 per week, a gain of $25. That adds $1,300 per year in gross income. If the upgrade also cuts average vacancy by two weeks per tenancy cycle, at current Riverina rents near $400 per week that is a further $800 per cycle. Together, those gains return roughly $2,100 in year one against a $5,800 outlay, recovering the investment in under three years.
A three-bedroom home in Temora, Griffith, or a similar Riverina town, fitted with PVC plantation shutters to bedrooms and living areas and roller blinds to bathrooms and laundry, typically costs $4,500 to $7,000 fully installed depending on window count. PVC shutters carry a 20-year product lifespan, meaning one installation covers five or six tenancy cycles with no replacement cost. Fabric blinds replaced every six to eight years cost more in labour and materials over the same period while delivering weaker presentation. For a portfolio of three or more properties in the same town, coordinating the upgrade across all addresses simplifies ongoing maintenance: matching products mean faster replacement quoting and the ability to use leftover stock for like-for-like swaps. When we measure and quote your property, we work through these figures for your specific window count and rental bracket so the decision is clear before any commitment is made.
Chris has 22 years in the window furnishings trade, completing his training through TAFE NSW and holding membership with the Australian Window Association since 2008. Campbell joined the business in 2015 after completing a Certificate III in Furnishing and has worked in the rental and investment property sector since 2018. Between them, they have installed window coverings at more than 600 addresses across the Riverina and southern NSW.
Frequently asked questions
Do NSW landlords have to provide window coverings in every room?
The NSW Residential Tenancies Regulation 2019 requires window coverings that provide reasonable privacy in bedrooms and main living areas. The specific minimum standard is set out in Schedule 3 of the Regulation, which took effect on 23 March 2020 and applies to all residential tenancies entered into or renewed after that date. Kitchens, bathrooms, and utility rooms are not specifically covered by the minimum standard, although a window in any room that directly overlooks a public space warrants treatment for privacy. Landlords must maintain supplied coverings in working condition throughout the tenancy, not just at the start of a lease. A tenant can apply to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal if a landlord fails to meet or maintain any prescribed minimum standard.
Can I install corded roller blinds in a NSW rental property?
Only if the blind meets the ACCC mandatory safety standard in effect since October 2023. The standard prohibits accessible free-hanging looped cords in any home where a child under 18 may be present. For rental properties, this applies across the board because tenants' family situations can change over the course of a lease. Window treatments rental properties NSW landlords install after October 2023 must be cordless spring-operated, motor-driven, or fitted with a compliant tension or cleat device. The Product Safety Australia corded blinds compliance page sets out what each compliant installation requires.
What is the most cost-effective window covering for a rental property?
Aluminium venetian blinds with wand control are the most cost-effective entry point for rental property window coverings where durability matters more than full blockout. They meet the ACCC cord safety standard, wipe clean, and last 10 to 15 years under rental conditions. For bedrooms where presentation and energy performance drive the investment decision, PVC plantation shutters return more value over a 20-year lifespan because they do not need replacing between tenancies. The right choice depends on your budget per property and the rental bracket you are targeting across the Riverina or broader NSW.
How do window treatments rental properties NSW affect tax deductions?
Window coverings in a rental property are depreciable assets under Australian Taxation Office rental property deduction rules. Plantation shutters and quality blinds are typically treated as plant and equipment items with a set effective life and depreciation rate. The rate and method depend on when the property was built and when the items were installed. A quantity surveyor or tax accountant can confirm the correct treatment for your specific property. Keeping the installation invoice and product specifications makes it straightforward to support a depreciation schedule when the time comes.
Do you cover measure and quote appointments outside Wagga Wagga?
Yes. Chris and Campbell personally cover Temora, Wagga Wagga, Griffith, Young, Cootamundra, and surrounding towns across the Riverina and southern NSW, including West Wyalong, Junee, and Cowra. Written pricing is provided on the spot at every appointment, with no obligation and no pressure to decide on the day. For landlords managing multiple properties, appointments across several addresses can be scheduled in a single day to reduce travel time and keep costs manageable. Contact us through our website or call directly to arrange a time that fits your access schedule.
