- Facebook Marketplace and city share-house groups are widely used to find rooms in Australia, but Scamwatch warns rental scams are rising
- Never pay a bond or rent before inspecting the property in person
- In Australia the bond is usually four weeks' rent, plus about four weeks' rent in advance.
How Do You Find Accommodation on Facebook for Australia?
Search Facebook Marketplace under the Rentals category for your city, then join local share-house and international-student housing groups. Filter by suburb, price and move-in date, message hosts with a short introduction, and always arrange an in-person or live video inspection before you commit or pay any money.
Facebook is one of the most active informal channels for student rentals in Australia because listings are free, local and updated daily. Two features matter most: Facebook Marketplace, which has a dedicated Rentals section where you can filter by suburb, weekly price, bedrooms and availability, and Facebook Groups, where landlords, agents and departing tenants post rooms in share houses.
- Open Facebook Marketplace and choose the Property Rentals category for your city.
- Set filters for suburb, weekly rent, number of rooms and your move-in date.
- Join city and university share-house groups and turn on notifications for new posts.
- Message the poster with your name, course, budget, move-in date and preferred inspection time.
- Attend an in-person inspection, or request a live video walkthrough if you are still overseas.
- Only pay a bond or rent after you have seen the property and signed a written agreement.
Which Facebook Groups and Pages Help You Find Housing?
Look for city-specific groups such as Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth share-house and rental groups, plus Indian-student and university-named housing groups. Search Facebook for your city plus terms like rent, rooms, share house or student accommodation, then join the groups with the most recent posts and active moderators.
The most useful groups are tied to a single city or campus, because posts match the suburbs and price ranges you can realistically reach. Many groups are also organised around communities of international or Indian students, which makes it easier to find compatible housemates. Read the pinned rules before posting, and prioritise groups where administrators remove obvious scam listings.
| Facebook Search Term (2026) | What You Find |
|---|---|
| Melbourne share house / rooms for rent | Rooms in shared homes across Melbourne suburbs |
| Sydney student accommodation rent | Student-focused rentals and sublets near Sydney campuses |
| Indian students accommodation Australia | Community groups matching housemates from India |
| University name + accommodation | Campus-specific rooms posted by current students |
How Can You Avoid Rental Scams on Facebook?
Insist on inspecting the property before paying anything, because Scamwatch says a drive-by is not enough. Treat overseas landlords, refusals to let you view the home, and demands for money transfers as red flags. Search the poster's name and email online, and avoid deals that look too cheap for the suburb.
Australia's scam watchdog, Scamwatch, reports that international students are frequently targeted because they book from overseas, do not know local prices and feel pressure to secure a room before term starts. Scammers copy real photos and addresses, then invent reasons why you cannot inspect the home while demanding an upfront payment to hold it.
- Never send a bond or rent by money transfer to someone you have not met; recovering it is rare.
- Be suspicious if the owner says they are overseas and cannot show you the property.
- Do a reverse image search on the listing photos to check they are not stolen from another ad.
- Confirm the person collecting rent is the real owner or a licensed agent before you pay.
What Should You Check Before Paying a Bond or Deposit?
Confirm the weekly rent, that the bond equals about four weeks' rent, and that roughly four weeks' rent in advance is required. Get a written tenancy or share agreement, check what bills are included, and make sure your bond is lodged with the state bond authority rather than held privately by the landlord.
According to Study Australia, renters usually pay a security deposit or bond equal to four weeks' rent, plus about four weeks' rent in advance. Ask whether electricity, gas, water and internet are included, since managed and university accommodation often bundle bills while private share houses may not. Always keep records of every payment and message.
10 reasons to study in AustraliaRead →What Are the Alternatives to Facebook for Student Housing?
Beyond Facebook, use dedicated flatmate sites such as Flatmates.com.au and Flatmate Finders, major listing portals, and your university's accommodation service. Study Australia also recommends homestay, purpose-built student accommodation and on-campus housing, which are safer for first arrivals because bills and support services are usually included in the weekly price.
Facebook works best once you understand local prices and can inspect in person. If you are still overseas, Study Australia suggests starting with university-managed rooms, homestay with a local family, or purpose-built student accommodation, then moving to a Facebook-found share house after you arrive and can view properties yourself.