× Overview of the 2024 Tenancy Law Changes – What you need to know
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Tenants Queensland (TQ) receives funding of $44.4 million over five years to continue the QSTARS program

CEO, Penny Carr says, “We are delighted and honoured to continue our important work supporting renting households across Queensland.

“Right now, is a trying time for many households and it makes a difference to them knowing there is an independent advisory service to provide professional advice and support, specifically targeted to their needs as renters.

“We thank the Queensland Government for their continued support for the Queensland Statewide Tenant Advice and Advocacy Service and Tenants Queensland.”

$44 million for tenant advice service – Ministerial Media Statements

Statement on the Worsening Rental Crisis

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Tenants Queensland, along with 80 other organisations are calling for national rent reforms, including fair limits on rent increase.

Read our joint submission to the Senate’s inquiry into the Worsening Rental Crisis.

Share your experience as a renter

The committee would like to hear from people about their experiences of the rental situation in Australia. However, please note that the committee cannot advise on, advocate for, or take action on individual matters.

Submissions close 1 September 2023

Click here for further information

More effective changes to limit the frequency of rent increases?

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The Queensland Government is consulting about changes to the frequency of rent increases to ensure recent changes are effective.

On July 1, the government limited the frequency of rent increases to once per year. However, the last few months have seen the emergence of rental management practices which appear to undermine the intent of the legislation, for example, ending tenancies after six months so that the rent can be increased with new tenants.

Today the government issued a discussion paper and is calling for submission on how to ensure the annual rent increase frequency limit is effective.

The discussion paper proposes changes that would apply the limit to the frequency of rent increases to the property, rather than the tenancy, regardless of whether the sitting tenants remain, or the property is re-tenanted.

Read more

Rent increases once every 12 months

Rents Rising

New legislation will come into effect from 1 July 2023 which will limit rent increases to once every 12 months.

These changes will apply to all new and existing general tenancies and rooming accommodation agreements.

Any rent increase which is due to commence after 1 July 2023, will be valid only if there has been at least 12 months since the previous rent increase.

Any rent increase clauses written into a tenancy or rooming agreement will not apply if there has been a previous rent increase in the previous 12 months.

The frequency of rent increase applies for the duration of a tenancy if at least one tenant or resident continues to occupy the rental property, even if there is a change of property owner or real estate agent.

The new legislation does not provide for a limit to any rent increase, but it can be disputed if it is considered excessive

See fact sheet: Rent and Other Charges

For further information on these changes, contact Tenants Queensland 1300 744 263

Queenslanders urged to have their say on fairer rental laws

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Tenants Queensland welcomes the State Government’s announcement today launching Stage 2 rental law reform. The consultation process will provide Queensland renters with the opportunity to be heard and help shape renting for the future. For further information about the process and to have your say visit here.

We support limiting rent increases

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Tenants Queensland supports the Premiers call to limit the frequency of rent increases but we need to go further. We need to limit rent increases to one per year, using the CPI as the benchmark. This allows landlords to maintain their returns whilst providing stability and predictability for renters facing future rent increases.  You can read our position in detail in our brief paper to today’s roundtable     Tenants Queensland Second Housing Roundtable Paper

Information for tenants affected by floods and storms in Queensland

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If you are being inundated with water or suffering damage from storms or cyclones, your tenancy may be affected.

THIS FACT SHEET is for residential tenancies, however most of this information also applies to rooming accommodation such as boarding houses.

Rent Decrease due to flooding

If you wish to request a rent decrease with your lessor due to flooding, here for a draft letter that you can use.  Please click here for a Word version (you may need to check your downloads folder) or click here for a PDF version. 

Dealing with Mould

Tenants Queensland have produced a Mould fact sheet for renters: please click here
Qld Department of Health have produced a fact sheet: please click here

Water bill discount for eligible South East Queensland households

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The Queensland Government has provided a one-off discount of $55 for properties who are billed by:
Urban Utilities

  • Unity Water
  • Redland City Council
  • Logan City Council
  • City of Gold Coast

The discount is equivalent to approximately 13/2 kilolitres of water & will be issued before March 2023
Tenants do not automatically receive the discount.

As the Lessor receives the water bill for an eligible rental property, the Lessor will receive the discount. If a tenant pays for water usage as a term of their 18a general tenancy agreement, the discount should be passed on to the tenant. Further information https://www.rdmw.qld.gov.au/water/consultations-initiatives/water-bill-discount

Housing Summit Outcomes Paper released

Tenants Queensland congratulates the State Government on taking positive steps to improve access and affordability to housing for Queenslanders, with the release of the Housing Summit Outcomes Report today, but there is more to be done to making renting fair in Queensland.

The short-term relief measures in the Report are positive and will help those already struggling. We welcome the cost-of-living support measures such as increased funds for food relief and other types of emergency relief.

There is also increased support to those struggling with the costs of rent, which we are very pleased to see.

Positive steps to improve housing supply are being taken, with land immediately available already identified, as well as buildings that can be repurposed, helping bring forward supply solutions. The $1 billion boost to the Housing Investment Fund (to $2 billion) is very welcome.

Unfortunately, the Report does not include any reference to the Government’s promised second stage of tenancy law reforms. Any sustainable solution to Queensland’s housing crisis also requires legislative reform.

In the last twelve months, the average rental increase in Queensland was $110 per week.

Any increase to rent subsidies needs to be coupled with legislated limits to rent increases or we risk pushing rents even higher.

We need to protect renters from arbitrary evictions, allow them to make reasonable changes to their homes to make them safe and accessible, and make it easier for renters to get their bonds back. These changes would level the playing field and make renting in Queensland fairer for everyone.

There also needs to be more work done to identify vacant premises and properties that have been moved into short-term letting markets, such as AirBnB, which is putting further pressure on the housing market. Applying disincentives to this will get more properties into the long-term rental market and provide immediate relief to housing supply.

We are reassured to see the Premier, Deputy Premier, Treasurer, and multiple Ministers committed to addressing this, and congratulate the Government on their work to date, however there is still more to be done.