The Ballina NCAT Consumer and Commercial Division (CCD) list sets out the civil and administrative matters scheduled for hearing at the Ballina courthouse precinct at 18 River St, Ballina NSW 2478. The NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) sits at Ballina to resolve everyday disputes for residents, tenants, landlords, tradespeople and small businesses across the Northern Rivers, a region anchored by Ballina Shire and its population of roughly 46,850. Because Ballina lies about 740 kilometres north of Sydney and 185 kilometres south of Brisbane, a local sitting venue matters: it lets people in the Richmond River area attend conciliation and hearings without travelling to a metropolitan registry.
The Consumer and Commercial Division is the busiest arm of NCAT. In 2023-24 the Tribunal received 71,223 applications across all divisions, and the CCD accounted for the clear majority of that workload. The division handles residential tenancy claims, social housing matters, home building disputes, consumer claims, motor vehicle disputes, retail leases and strata and community scheme issues. The Ballina CCD list is where those matters appear once they are scheduled, showing the parties, the allocated room and the listed time.
What the Consumer and Commercial Division decides at Ballina
The division applies a defined body of NSW legislation, chiefly the Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2013, the Residential Tenancies Act 2010, the Fair Trading Act 1987 and the Australian Consumer Law. Each case type carries its own rules, its own jurisdictional limit and its own application form, which is why matters are grouped into lists rather than heard in a single undifferentiated queue.
Residential tenancy and social housing
Tenancy is the largest single category the CCD deals with, and the Ballina list often reflects that. Typical applications include rental bond disputes, rent arrears, repairs and maintenance obligations, termination and possession, and social housing matters brought by community housing providers. Orders are made under the Residential Tenancies Act 2010, and the Tribunal can order payment of money, release of a bond, repairs, or an end to a tenancy.
If your matter is criminal or traffic rather than civil, it will not appear here at all. Those cases are heard by the Ballina Local Court in the same River Street precinct, and reportable deaths and fire investigations are handled separately by the Ballina Coroners Court. Checking the right list saves a wasted trip, so confirm which court has your case before you set out.
Home building and consumer claims
Home building disputes cover defective or incomplete work, variations and payment claims. The CCD can hear building claims valued up to $500,000, with larger disputes generally directed to the District Court or Supreme Court. Consumer claims, covering faulty goods and substandard services, can be decided up to a jurisdictional limit of $100,000, with the Tribunal able to order a refund, repair, replacement, payment of money or the supply of services.
Strata, retail leases and other commercial matters
The division also resolves strata and community scheme disputes such as levies, by-law breaches and building defects, along with retail lease disagreements, motor vehicle claims, agent commissions and fees, agricultural tenancies, dividing fences, retirement villages, boarding houses and residential communities. This spread is why the CCD is described as a general civil forum for consumers and businesses rather than a single-issue tribunal.
How Ballina NCAT CCD hearings are listed
Most Consumer and Commercial Division applications follow a staged path, and the Ballina list will usually show more than one type of event on a given day. Common listing types include conciliation, contested hearings, directions hearings and group conciliation sessions. Reading the times on the list helps you understand what stage each matter has reached.
Conciliation first, then hearing
NCAT places heavy weight on settlement before adjudication. Many CCD matters are first listed for conciliation, an informal, without-prejudice discussion led by a Tribunal member or conciliator who helps the parties try to reach agreement. If conciliation resolves the dispute, consent orders can be made on the day. If it does not, the matter proceeds to a hearing where each side presents evidence and a member decides the outcome. Industry guidance commonly puts conciliation around six to eight weeks after filing, with contested hearings typically running three to six months later depending on complexity.
Hearings in the CCD are deliberately less formal than a court. Parties usually represent themselves, legal representation generally requires the Tribunal's leave, and the member guides proceedings so people without lawyers can take part. Once a decision is made, NCAT issues orders, and those orders can be registered and enforced through the Local Court if they are not complied with.
NCAT by the numbers
The scale of the Tribunal helps put the Ballina list in context. Verified figures from NCAT annual reporting include:
- 71,223 applications lodged across all NCAT divisions in 2023-24, with the Consumer and Commercial Division carrying the majority of that volume.
- 104,837 hearings and other listing events held in 2023-24 across 48 locations throughout NSW, including hearings, conciliations, directions, mediations and interim orders.
- 70,666 matters finalised in 2023-24, giving an overall clearance ratio of 99.2 per cent.
- 83.3 per cent of Consumer and Commercial Division applications were lodged online in 2024-25, up from 82.5 per cent the year before.
- A 3.5 per cent increase in applications lodged in 2024-25 compared with 2023-24, and a clearance ratio of 95.9 per cent for that year.
These numbers show a high-volume, digitally driven tribunal that finalises almost as many matters as it receives each year, which is why keeping track of your listed date and venue is important.
People across the Northern Rivers sometimes have tenancy or consumer matters listed elsewhere on the same NCAT circuit. If yours is set down further north, the Tweed Heads NCAT CCD list covers that area, while home building or building claims above the CCD limit move up to the Lismore District Court. Always check today's list against your file number before you travel.
Fees for a Consumer and Commercial Division application
Application fees depend on the matter type and the amount claimed. NCAT reviews its fees every 1 July and indexes them in line with the Consumer Price Index, so the figures below reflect the schedule confirmed as at 1 July 2026 and should be checked against the current schedule before you lodge. Under that schedule the standard fees are:
- Residential proceedings (tenancy, social housing, residential communities, retirement villages, boarding houses): $64.
- General consumer or commercial claims up to $10,000 or no stated amount: $64.
- Claims over $10,000 to $30,000: $133.
- Claims more than $30,000: $344.
- Strata and community schemes (general application): $133.
- Retail leases: $132.
A concession rate set at 25 per cent of the full fee applies to eligible pensioners and people receiving legal aid or help from a community legal centre. A higher corporation fee applies to organisations, and parties in serious financial hardship may apply for a fee waiver.
Time limits that apply before you apply
Deadlines vary by case type, and missing them can end a claim before it reaches the Ballina list. Consumer claims must generally be made within three years of the problem arising, and the goods or services must have been supplied within the previous ten years. Tenancy and social housing applications must be lodged within the period set by the Residential Tenancies Act 2010, and where no period is specified, within 28 days of becoming entitled to apply unless the Tribunal grants an extension. Internal appeals to the NCAT Appeal Panel are generally available within 28 days, on a question of law as of right and, with leave, on the facts.
Attending the Ballina hearing venue
The Ballina venue sits on River Street in the town centre, near the Richmond River. Practical details for people attending include:
- Address: 18 River St, Ballina NSW 2478.
- Phone: (02) 6681 2200.
- Region served: Ballina Shire and the wider Northern Rivers, including nearby Byron Bay and Lismore.
- Getting there: street and council parking are available nearby, and it is sensible to arrive early on busy sitting days.
Bring every document you rely on, including your application, any tenancy agreement or contract, receipts, quotes, photographs, correspondence and witness statements. Having your evidence organised makes conciliation faster and a contested hearing far smoother.
How to read the daily Ballina NCAT CCD list
Each entry on the list shows the case name, the courtroom and the scheduled time. Names are partially masked on this page for privacy, so use your file number to confirm your own matter. Because listing information can change, the safest approach is to check the list the evening before or on the morning of your hearing. The official NSW Online Registry updates court and tribunal lists frequently and shows listings up to three weeks ahead, so always confirm details with the registry before you attend.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Ballina NCAT CCD the same as Ballina Local Court?
No. The Local Court hears criminal and traffic matters, while the NCAT Consumer and Commercial Division deals with civil and administrative disputes such as tenancy, consumer claims, home building and strata. They may share the same courthouse precinct, but they operate under different laws and processes.
Do I need a lawyer for a CCD matter at Ballina?
Most people represent themselves. NCAT is designed to be accessible, and legal representation generally requires the Tribunal's permission. You can still seek advice from a solicitor, Legal Aid NSW or a community legal centre before your hearing.
What happens if I miss my hearing?
If you do not attend, the Tribunal may decide the matter in your absence or dismiss your application. If you cannot attend, contact the registry as early as possible to ask about your options.
Can NCAT orders be enforced?
Yes. Money orders and other decisions can be registered and enforced through the Local Court if a party does not comply, giving CCD orders real legal effect.