The commencement of the second stage reforms has been long awaited and Tenants Queensland (TQ) is pleased to see consultations commence. Overall, the paper contains some positive proposals (if they eventuate), however, we think that our government needs to do more to regulate the rental market in order to deliver stability, safety, amenity and affordability to Queensland renters.
Queenslanders urged to have their say on fairer rental laws
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
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
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
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.
ABC The Drum
