• Residential Tenancies Authority Legislation
• Review of Residential Tenancies Act
• Review of the Residential Services (Accommodation) Act
• Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act
• New tenancy laws
  • New laws - general tenancies
  • New laws - rooming accommodation
  • Transitional arrangements
• Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Amendment Bill 2009

Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act

On 2 December 2008, Housing Minister, the Hon Robert Schwarten oversaw the passage of new tenancy laws through Queensland Parliament.

The new legislation will ensure the rental market continues to meet the needs of Queenslanders in rental accommodation. This is being achieved by combining the Residential Tenancies Act 1994 and the Residential Services (Accommodation) Act 2002 and updating many of the existing provisions into the new Residential Tenancies & Rooming Accommodation Act 2008 (PDF 1.6MB).

The new Act was the result of an extensive review of the current laws which involved collaboration between government and key industry representatives and stakeholders. Some of the key changes are:

• Prohibiting rent bidding.
• Restricting rent increases to only two per year. 
• Increasing notice periods from two weeks to two months for rent increases and when a lessor wants to end a tenancy without grounds.
• Additional grounds for entry for lessors. 
• Extending coverage to most forms of rooming accommodation. 
• New provisions around sale of rental properties.

The new Act sets out the new tenancy laws for Queensland and will replace the Residential Tenancies Act 1994 and the Residential Services (Accommodation) Act 2002.

The new Act commenced on 1 July 2009, when the previous Acts were repealed.

The RTA has been undertaking an extensive education campaign for clients about the new laws. It is important that tenants, residents, lessors, providers and agents regularly monitor the what's new section of the RTA website in order to keep up to date with relevant changes.