What does a leasing consultant actually do?
A leasing consultant fills vacant rental properties for an agency's landlords. You write and photograph the listing, run open-for-inspections, take enquiries, and work through tenancy applications. Checking an application means confirming identity, income, rental history and references, then putting a clear recommendation to the landlord. Once a tenant is approved you prepare the lease, collect the bond and first rent, and complete the ingoing condition report before handing over the keys.
Most agencies judge a leasing consultant on a small set of numbers: days on market, how many properties are leased each week, how many applications turn into signed leases, and whether the rent achieved matches the appraisal. Weekends and evenings are normal because that is when tenants inspect. The job suits someone who is organised, answers the phone quickly and can say no to an applicant politely.
What registration do you need to lease property?
Every state and territory treats leasing as agency work. That means you need a registration or licence, and you must work for a licensed agent. The entry-level authority has a different name in each state, but the pattern is the same. You complete a set of units from the Certificate IV in Real Estate Practice (CPP41419), pass a police check and get registered, or in Victoria your employer verifies your eligibility. Tasmania is the exception: you sit an exam set by the Property Agents Board.
In NSW the entry certificate has a time limit. It lasts four years and cannot be renewed. Within that time you must finish your qualifications and move up to a Class 2 licence. If you don't, you have to stop working as an assistant agent and wait 12 months before you can apply for a new certificate.
How do you move from leasing to a full portfolio?
Leasing is a common first step into property management. You already deal with landlords, tenants, bonds and leases, so the next step is managing the tenancy after move-in: routine inspections, maintenance, arrears and end-of-lease disputes. Most agencies promote leasing consultants to assistant property manager first, then to a portfolio of their own.
Before you take on a full portfolio, finish the full Certificate IV units for your state. This matters most in NSW, where you need the Class 2 licence within four years, and in WA, where restricted property-management registration can be upgraded with bridging units. Later on, a licence as an agent lets you supervise others or run an office.
How much do leasing consultants earn?
The Real Estate Industry Award sets the legal floor. A Level 1 employee in their first year earns at least $1,010.60 a week, or $52,551 a year, for a 38-hour week. After the first year the minimum rises to $55,323. At Level 2 it is $58,193. Junior rates apply under 21. Commission-only pay is limited to sales and commercial leasing staff, so it does not apply to residential leasing.
Market pay sits well above the award. The modelled median for leasing and tenant representation roles is $80,700 a year nationally. Western Australia and the ACT come out highest and Tasmania lowest. Bonuses tied to leasing numbers are common, but the amounts vary by agency.
Pay
AUD a year, before tax. Award rows are the official minimums in the Real Estate Industry Award 2020, effective 1 July 2026. Median rows are modelled from ABS Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, moved to 2026 with a wage index. State figures are modelled estimates and will vary with agency, location and bonuses. Refer to the Leasing & Tenant Representation salary guide for figures from live adverts.
What you need
- Entry units from CPP41419Most states require a set of units from the Certificate IV in Real Estate Practice. Victoria asks for 18 units, WA asks for 12 core units for property management only, and the ACT asks for the 5 core units.
- Police checkEvery state requires a criminal history check. WA wants one dated within 3 months, and the ACT wants one issued within 2 months of applying.
- Minimum ageYou must be 18 in Victoria, Queensland and the ACT. NSW accepts applicants from 16.
- A licensed employerYou must be employed by a licensed agent. In NSW you must also be supervised by a Class 1 licensee in charge.
- Fit and properRegulators can refuse you for recent fraud or dishonesty offences, insolvency or past disqualification. Some, such as Victoria's Business Licensing Authority, can grant permission case by case.
- Ongoing CPDMost registrations need continuing professional development each year to stay current. Queensland, for example, requires two approved CPD sessions every CPD year.
State by state
| New South Wales | You need an assistant agent certificate of registration from NSW Fair Trading. It lasts 4 years, cannot be renewed, and you must progress to a Class 2 licence within that time. |
|---|---|
| Victoria | You work as an agent's representative. You don't apply yourself: your employer checks your eligibility, including 18 CPP41419 units completed within the last 5 years and a police check, and notifies the Business Licensing Authority. |
| Queensland | You need a real estate salesperson registration certificate from the Office of Fair Trading. You must be 18 and have completed the required CPP41419 units. Processing takes 4 to 6 weeks. |
| Western Australia | You need sales representative registration. A restricted property-management-only registration requires 12 core CPP41419 units. Applications usually take 4 to 6 weeks. |
| South Australia | You need property manager registration, sales representative registration with a property manager condition, or land agent registration. Trainees on 'under supervision' registration must be directly accompanied at all times. |
| Tasmania | You need a property representative licence from the Property Agents Board. To get it, you pass the Board's exam and hold a current National Police Certificate. |
| Australian Capital Territory | Access Canberra registers assistant agents who have the 5 core CPP41419 units. The application is publicly notified for 10 business days before it is granted. |
| Northern Territory | You must register as an agent's representative. The fee is $215, or $190 for restricted registration. Registration can run for 1, 3 or 5 years, and renewals are due by 1 May. |
How to get there
- Weeks to 6 monthsComplete the entry unitsEnrol with a registered training organisation and finish the CPP41419 units your state requires, based on that state's law.
- 2 to 6 weeksGet registered and hiredApply to your regulator with your statement of attainment, ID and police check. In Victoria your employer handles the notification instead.
- Year 1-2Work as a leasing consultantRun inspections, process applications, sign leases and do ingoing condition reports for a licensed agency.
- Year 2-3Move to assistant property managerTake on routine inspections, maintenance and arrears alongside a senior property manager.
- By year 4Finish the full qualificationComplete the remaining Certificate IV units. In NSW, upgrade to a Class 2 licence before your certificate expires at 4 years.
- Year 3 onwardsManage your own portfolioTake full responsibility for a rent roll, then look at senior, business development or licensee roles.
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Questions people ask
Do I need a licence just to run open homes?
Yes. Leasing is regulated agency work in every state, so you need at least the entry-level registration and you must work for a licensed agent. In NSW, acting as an agent without the right certificate or licence is an offence.
How long does it take to start?
Training for the entry units can take anywhere from a few weeks to six months, depending on the provider and your pace. Registration then takes about 4 to 6 weeks in Queensland and WA, and 15 business days for a Tasmanian property representative licence.
Can I use my registration in another state?
Often, yes. The ACT, SA and NT accept interstate registrations under mutual recognition. Victoria does not apply mutual recognition to agent's representatives, so you must meet its own education rules before you start.
Can a leasing consultant be paid commission only?
No. Under the Real Estate Industry Award, commission-only arrangements are limited to property sales and commercial, industrial or retail leasing staff at Level 2 or higher. Residential leasing staff must receive at least the award minimum.
Is the NSW certificate of registration enough long term?
No. It lasts four years and cannot be renewed. You must complete your qualifications and move to a Class 2 licence in that time, or stop working as an assistant agent for at least 12 months.
Sources
- NSW Fair Trading: assistant agent certificate of registration
- Consumer Affairs Victoria: agents' representatives
- ABLIS: real estate salesperson registration, Queensland
- WA Government: real estate and business sales representatives registration
- Consumer and Business Services SA: working as a property manager in SA
- Access Canberra: assistant agent registrations
- ABLIS: property representative licence, Tasmania
- NT Government: register as an agent's representative
- Fair Work Commission: Real Estate Industry Award 2020
