Queensland rental laws have changed following assent of the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2024. A series of changes commenced this month, while other changes will come into effect on a later date to be advised.

The new laws apply to Queensland general tenancies, rooming accommodation and moveable dwelling tenancies, and it is important that tenants, property managers and owners understand these changes.

Watch our video below or read the following summary of rental law changes that commenced on 6 June 2024, including:

• banning all forms of rent bidding and limiting rent increases to once every 12 months attached to the property rather than the tenancy – written agreements must state the date of the last rent increase
• limits to rent in advance now apply. At the tenancy application stage, this is now capped at one month for fixed-term general tenancies and two weeks for rooming accommodation, moveable dwellings or periodic tenancies. However, once a tenancy has been established, a tenant may offer to pay and a property manager/owner may accept more rent in advance
• new requirements for a property manager/owner to provide evidence of the date of the last rent increase in writing within 14 days, if requested by the tenant
• rooming accommodation must be offered at a fixed price and where a bond is taken for any agreement including rooming accommodation – it must be lodged within 10 days with the RTA
• new grounds for entry to rooming accommodation to install, maintain or repair smoke alarms, and greater clarity on ending short tenancy agreements (moveable dwellings)
• new ability for the RTA to release a bond refund as per the original request following a bond matter being dismissed or withdrawn at QCAT
• changes to the bond refund process where a commercial bond loan supplier is involved
• Heads of Power are established (for later implementation) for a portable bonds scheme, a sector code of conduct, and guidelines for tenants to request modifications aimed at enhancing safety, security, and accessibility within a property
• new offences and increased penalty provisions to allow the RTA to take greater enforcement action
• changes to the way goods left behind at a property must be dealt with
• other general changes including amendments to terminology and expansion of confidentiality requirements for domestic and family violence.

Keep an eye out for future editions of eNews where we will explore some of the reforms in more detail, including what they mean for you. In the meantime, visit the RTA website for more information about rental law changes and to access our rental law changes resources.

A reminder that new and updated RTA forms have been published to reflect Queensland’s new tenancy laws.