The Narrabri NCAT CCD list shows tenancy, consumer, home building and other civil matters that the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal has scheduled to hear in Narrabri. NCAT does not keep a permanent registry in the town. Instead, Tribunal Members travel to the North West on circuit and sit at the Narrabri Courthouse at 56 Maitland Street, the same heritage building that houses the Local Court. The listings on this page are drawn from the NSW Online Registry, which updates hearing information every 60 seconds and publishes NCAT matters up to three weeks ahead of the hearing date.
Because NCAT is a tribunal rather than a court, the way its list works differs from the criminal and traffic list you will find on the Narrabri court list for the Local Court. Most NCAT matters are listed in a group session, several cases are called at the same time, and parties are expected to attempt conciliation before a Tribunal Member decides anything. Understanding that structure helps you plan your morning at the venue.
What the Consumer and Commercial Division Hears in Narrabri
The Consumer and Commercial Division is by far the busiest part of NCAT. In the 2023-24 year the Division accounted for 52,028 of the 71,223 applications lodged across the whole Tribunal, or roughly 73 per cent. In 2024-25 total applications rose 3.5 per cent to 73,724, and 83.3 per cent of Consumer and Commercial Division applications were lodged online through NCAT Online Services. Matters that reach the Narrabri list fall into the following categories.
Residential tenancy and social housing
Tenancy disputes make up the largest share of NCAT work in regional NSW. Typical Narrabri listings include rental bond claims, rent arrears, termination and possession orders, repair orders, compensation claims and disputes with Homes NSW or Aboriginal housing providers. NCAT can make tenancy orders for amounts up to $30,000 in most residential matters. Under the Residential Tenancies Act 2010, an application about a breach of the tenancy agreement generally has to be lodged within three months of the applicant becoming aware of the breach, so timing matters.
Consumer claims and motor vehicle disputes
Claims about goods and services worth up to $40,000 are heard in the general consumer jurisdiction. In a farming district like the Namoi Valley that often means disputes over machinery repairs, vehicle purchases, trades work and retail refunds. Motor vehicle claims share the same $40,000 ceiling.
Home building
Home building claims between a homeowner and a licensed builder or tradesperson can be heard by NCAT for amounts up to $500,000. Larger residential building disputes in the Narrabri area are listed for a directions hearing first and may be heard at a larger venue such as Tamworth if expert evidence is required.
Other Division work
- Dividing fences disputes between neighbours
- Agricultural tenancy claims under the Agricultural Tenancies Act 1990
- Retail lease disputes up to $750,000
- Strata and community scheme applications
- Uncollected goods and pawnbroker matters
- Agent commission and conveyancing cost disputes
Venue Details for NCAT Hearings in Narrabri
NCAT policy is to list Consumer and Commercial Division matters at the venue closest to the rental premises, building site or place of contract. For disputes across Narrabri Shire, which covers more than 13,000 square kilometres and includes Wee Waa, Boggabri, Pilliga and Gwabegar, that venue is normally Narrabri Courthouse.
Location and contact
- Street address: 56 Maitland Street, Narrabri NSW 2390
- Court registry hours: 9:00am to 1:00pm and 2:00pm to 4:00pm, Monday to Friday
- NCAT enquiries: 1300 006 228 during business hours
- Audio visual link facilities are available on site
- Regional case management for the North West is handled by the NCAT Tamworth registry at 3-5 Kable Korner Complex, corner of Kable Avenue and Darling Street
Parties who cannot travel to Narrabri can ask to attend by telephone or video. NCAT requires a written request before the hearing date and will confirm in writing if it is approved. If you hear nothing, you should attend in person. Where a matter is transferred, it is most commonly listed with NCAT Tamworth, about 190 kilometres to the south east, or on the Moree NCAT CCD list roughly 100 kilometres to the north.
Current NCAT Application Fees (from 1 July 2026)
Fees are set under Schedule 2 of the Civil and Administrative Tribunal Regulation 2022 and rise each July in line with the Consumer Price Index. The figures below apply to Consumer and Commercial Division applications lodged from 1 July 2026.
- Residential tenancy, social housing and boarding house applications: $64 standard, $128 for corporations, $16 concession
- Consumer and commercial claims up to $10,000: $64 standard, $128 corporation, $16 concession
- Claims over $10,000 and up to $30,000: $133 standard, $266 corporation, $33 concession
- Claims above $30,000: $344 standard, $688 corporation, $86 concession
- Strata and community scheme applications: $133 standard
- Set aside application: $133 standard
- Internal appeal to the Appeal Panel: $540 standard, $135 concession
The concession rate is fixed at 25 per cent of the full fee and applies to eligible pensioners and people receiving legal aid or community legal centre assistance. Applicants in serious financial hardship can apply for a full fee waiver. If you succeed, the Tribunal will often order the other party to reimburse your filing fee.
Why Narrabri Generates Tribunal Work
The demand for a regular NCAT circuit in Narrabri is driven by the local housing profile. The 2021 Census recorded 12,703 residents across Narrabri Shire, and 26.3 per cent of people were living in rented dwellings. Narrabri Shire Council's January 2025 snapshot put the median advertised rent in Narrabri town at $500 per week, with a median sale price of $447,000 and a gross rental yield of 6.1 per cent. In Wee Waa and Boggabri the median rent was $400 per week, with yields of 11.9 per cent and 8.0 per cent respectively, which points to a large investor-owned rental stock and a steady flow of bond, arrears and repair disputes.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 14.1 per cent of the shire's population, more than four times the NSW average of 3.3 per cent. NCAT provides Aboriginal support services, and interpreters are available free of charge through the Translating and Interpreting Service on 13 14 50. The area's mining, gas and agricultural workforce also produces a higher than average number of short term leases, which feeds the tenancy list.
How to Read the Narrabri NCAT List
Each entry on the list shows the NCAT file number, the parties, the listing type and the start time. The listing types you are most likely to see are:
- Conciliation and hearing: the standard first listing for tenancy and consumer matters, usually in a group session starting at 9:30am or 10:00am
- Directions: a short procedural hearing to set a timetable for evidence, common in home building cases
- Hearing: a contested hearing where the Tribunal Member takes evidence and makes a decision
- Case conference: a case management event, often conducted by telephone
All NCAT hearings are sound recorded. A copy of the recording can be requested for $55 per hearing event, and a copy or certified copy of the written reasons costs $105. Written reasons are not produced automatically in most Consumer and Commercial Division matters, so you should ask for them at the hearing if you think you may need to appeal.
Preparing for a Narrabri NCAT Hearing
NCAT works on the basis that most people represent themselves. In the 2024-25 year the Tribunal ran 124,736 hearings and other listing events across 45 locations in NSW and finalised 70,693 matters, so Members move through lists quickly and reward parties who arrive organised. A practical checklist for Narrabri:
- Arrive at 56 Maitland Street at least 15 minutes before the listed time and check the noticeboard for your hearing room
- Bring three copies of every document: one for the Member, one for the other party and one for yourself
- Bring the tenancy agreement, condition reports, rent ledger, photographs, quotes and any written correspondence
- Serve your evidence on the other party before the hearing, not on the day
- If you need an adjournment, apply as early as possible; requests received less than a week out are usually decided at the hearing itself
- Check the list the morning of the hearing, as times and rooms can change
Free advice is available from the Tenants' Union of NSW, Legal Aid NSW and NSW Fair Trading before you attend. For matters listed at other venues, the NSW court lists hub on this site covers every NCAT venue, Local Court and District Court in the state.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a permanent NCAT office in Narrabri?
No. NCAT sits in Narrabri on circuit days using the courthouse at 56 Maitland Street. Documents for North West matters are managed by the Tamworth registry, and general enquiries go through 1300 006 228.
How often does NCAT sit in Narrabri?
Sitting dates depend on the volume of applications received for the district. NCAT publishes listings up to three weeks in advance, so the most reliable way to confirm the next Narrabri sitting is to check this list or search the NSW Online Registry by venue.
Can I appear by phone instead of travelling to Narrabri?
Yes, if NCAT approves a written request lodged before the hearing. Approval is more likely for short procedural listings and for parties who live a long distance from the venue. Guardianship Division matters do not require the form, but Consumer and Commercial Division matters do.
What happens if the other party does not turn up?
The hearing proceeds without them and the Tribunal Member can make orders in their absence. The absent party may later apply to set aside the decision, which costs $133, but they must show a good reason for not attending.
How long does it take to get a decision?
Many tenancy and small consumer matters are resolved at the first conciliation and hearing listing, with orders made on the day. Contested matters that need a further hearing typically take several more weeks, and home building cases with expert evidence can run for months.
Can I appeal a Narrabri NCAT decision?
Most Consumer and Commercial Division decisions can be appealed to the NCAT Internal Appeal Panel within 28 days. The filing fee is $540 at the standard rate or $135 at the concession rate. In 2024-25 the Tribunal received 655 internal appeals across all divisions.