Minimum housing standards aim to ensure all Queensland rental properties are safe, secure and functional.
Minimum housing standards came into effect for new tenancies (including renewed tenancy agreements) from 1 September 2023 and for all remaining tenancies from 1 September 2024. The property must meet minimum housing standards when the tenant moves in and throughout the tenancy agreement.
These new standards apply to all types of tenancies, including general tenancies, moveable dwellings, and rooming accommodation agreements.
What are minimum housing standards?
Minimum housing standards specify that rental properties must:
- be weatherproof and structurally sound
- be in good repair, with fixtures and fittings (such as electrical appliances) that are not likely to cause injury through normal use
- have functioning locks or latches on all external doors and windows that can be reached without a ladder
- be free from vermin, damp and mould (this does not include cases where the vermin, damp or mould has been caused by the tenant)
- include curtains or other window coverings, which provide privacy in rooms where the tenant might reasonably expect it, such as bedrooms
- have adequate plumbing and drainage and be connected to hot and cold water that is suitable for drinking
- provide privacy in bathroom areas and have flushable toilets connected to a sewer, septic tank or other waste disposal system
- have a functioning cook-top, if a kitchen is provided
- include the necessary fixtures for a functional laundry, such as tap fixtures and adequate plumbing, if laundry facilities are provided. The laundry does not have to include a washing machine or other white goods, as these may be provided by the tenant.
Responsibilities around minimum housing standards
It is the property manager's/owner’s responsibility to ensure the property meets minimum housing standards at the start of the tenancy.
If a maintenance issue occurs during the tenancy which means the property no longer complies with minimum housing standards, it’s the tenant’s responsibility to make every effort to inform the property manager/owner or the nominated emergency repair contact (who will be listed on the tenancy agreement) about the issue.
It’s the property manager's/owner’s responsibility to ensure repairs are made in a timely manner.
Repairs required to make the property meet minimum housing standards are classified as emergency repairs and the emergency repair process should be followed.
If a property does not meet minimum housing standards
Tenants have a range of options if they believe the rental property they live in does not meet minimum housing standards either when they first move in, or during the tenancy agreement.
The available options are different for rooming accommodation and general tenancies.
To learn about the options for a general tenancy agreement, read the Minimum housing standards – General tenancies factsheet.
To learn about the options for a rooming accommodation agreement, read the Minimum housing standards – Rooming accommodation factsheet.
Minimum housing standards in a body corporate
If a rental property is in a body corporate, it will need to comply with both minimum housing standards and body corporate by-laws. There may be some instances where repairs to ensure a property complies with minimum housing standards are the responsibility of the body corporate.
To learn more, watch the webinar below, which is a jointly presented by the RTA and the Office of the Commissioner for Body Corporate and Community Management (BCCM).