The Queensland Government has recently introduced the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024 to Parliament.

The Bill aims to strengthen Queensland’s residential tenancy laws. Proposed rental reforms include: 

• banning all forms of rent bidding and limiting rent increases to 12-months, attached to the property instead of the tenancy
• fees and charges – offering tenants two ways to pay rent including a way that does not incur more than usual bank costs and is reasonably available, ensuring any financial benefits received by rental property owners/managers are disclosed, capping re-letting costs and defining a timeframe within which a tenant must receive utility bills
• making it easier for renters to modify and personalise their home
• tenant privacy – extending entry notice periods from 24 to 48 hours, limiting frequent entry to a property at the end of a tenancy, offering a choice about how rental applications are submitted, creation of a prescribed application form, limiting the personal information that can be requested and collected
• rental bond process – any claim on a bond will be required to be supported by evidence, a portable bond scheme will be established, maximum bond requested will be no more than four weeks rent
• code of conduct – a Rental Sector Code of Conduct will be developed
• other changes – improved domestic and family violence protections, greater clarity about how to end a short tenancy, improvements for rooming accommodation, ensuring a community title scheme termination is effective and allowing for better RTA operational improvements
• additionally, the Bill will open new avenues to strengthen the enforcement of the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008.

The Bill has been referred to the Housing, Big Build and Manufacturing Committee for detailed consideration. Queenslanders are encouraged to follow the discussion on this topic and have their say on the proposed changes through the Committee process.

Learn more about the legislative process here and or watch our explainer video on the process and what happens next: 
 

Customers are reminded that current rental laws continue to apply until any proposed changes are progressed through Parliament.

Submissions closed at 12.00pm Wednesday 10 April 2024.

Documents relating to the Bill can be found on the Queensland Parliament website here.

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