Rental legislation changes

Minimum Housing Standards apply to new leases entered into from 1 September 2023.

Renters can have confidence their rental property is safe, secure and functional through prescribed Minimum Housing Standards which require:

• the premises to be weatherproof and structurally sound
• fixtures and fittings to be in good repair and not likely to cause injury to a person
• locks on windows and doors
• the premises to be free of vermin, damp and mould
• privacy coverings
• adequate plumbing and drainage
• functioning kitchen and laundry facilities (where supplied).

Minimum Housing Standards will apply to all tenancies from 1 September 2024.

Visit the RTA website for more information about Minimum Housing Standards.

From 1 October 2022

Strengthened repair and maintenance obligations commenced from 1 October 2022 to support the staggered introduction of Minimum Housing Standards from 1 September 2023.

Tenants (residential tenancies) have 7 days to complete and return the entry condition report and tenants and property managers can authorise emergency repairs up to the equivalent of 4 weeks rent.

From 20 October 2021

The temporary regulatory measures that were introduced under the COVID-19 residential tenancies response for domestic and family violence became permanent.

Renters experiencing domestic and family violence:

• can leave immediately (after giving 7 days notice) and access any bond contribution they made
• are not liable for property damage caused by domestic and family violence
• are not liable for costs relating to reletting the premises
• any remaining co-renters can be asked to top-up the bond by the property owner or manager
• can change the locks to the property without requiring the owner’s consent to ensure their safety
• must provide documentation to support their claim and property owners, managers and their employees must not disclose this information (except where permitted) and may be subject to penalties if they do so.

From 1 October 2022

Changes under the ending tenancies fairly reforms include:

• removal of ‘without grounds’ as a reason to end a tenancy
• new grounds for property owners to end tenancies, including the end of a fixed-term agreement, need to undertake significant repair or renovation, change of use or sale or preparation for sale of the rental property requires vacant possession
• new grounds for renters to end tenancies, including the property is not in good repair, or does not comply with the Minimum Housing Standards.

Renters can continue to end an agreement ‘without grounds’ and both renters and property owners must provide appropriate notice for the ground (reason) they are using to end the agreement.

Property owners can seek an order from the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) to terminate the tenancy for significant or serious breach of the lease by a tenant.

Renters can apply to QCAT for an order to set a notice to leave aside if they believe it has been issued in retaliation for them enforcing their rights.

From 1 October 2022

Changes making it easier for renters to have a pet include:

• a renter can seek the property owner’s permission to keep a pet, and property owners can only refuse a request on identified reasonable grounds, such as keeping the pet would breach laws or by-laws
• the property owner must respond to a request for a pet in writing within 14 days, or consent is implied
• the property owner’s consent may be subject to reasonable conditions such as the pet has to be kept outside. A rent increase or a pet bond are not reasonable conditions.

In September 2018, we launched the Open Doors to Renting Reform Consultation (PDF, 3670.53 KB).

We received more than 137,000 responses from renters, property owners and property managers about their experiences of living in, owning or managing a rental property, and how it could be improved.

We received more than 15,000 responses providing community feedback on detailed reform options  outlined in the Consultation Regulatory Impact Statement (C-RIS) (PDF, 2950.22 KB), across these 5 priority renting issues:

• ending leases fairly
• Minimum Housing Standards
• domestic and family violence protections
• renting with pets
• minor modifications.

Consultation told us that:

• all parties want greater fairness, and better balancing of renter and property owner rights
• most renters, property owners and managers want greater transparency around ending a lease, and they support changes that assist renters experiencing domestic and family violence
• renters and property owners want a better relationship and support to resolve tenancy issues that may arise, without needing to access dispute resolution or decision-making services.

In 2020, we prioritised responding to the health and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. We implemented, adjusted and extended temporary regulatory measures to help the residential rental sector manage COVID-19 impacts on residential leases.

We comprehensively analysed the regulatory and economic impacts of proposed Stage 1 reforms. The Decision Regulatory Impact Statement (PDF, 4822.12 KB):

• describes consultation feedback received on Stage 1 reform options tested through the C-RIS in 2019
• provides a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis of the recommended reforms.

Deloitte Access Economics analysed the economic impacts of recommended Stage 1 reforms (PDF, 1701.35 KB) and found them negligible.

An updated analysis of economic impacts (PDF, 1421.54 KB) was prepared, with the costs related to minor modification reforms removed as they were no longer progressing as part of Stage 1 rental law reforms.

Removing these costs reduced the economic impact of Stage 1 rental law reforms. The analysis was also updated for current market conditions following COVID-19 impacts on the housing market.

Between 18 April and 29 May 2023, the Stage 2 rental law reform options paper (PDF, 843.23 KB) was released for public consultation to gain feedback from rental sector stakeholders and the community on options across 5 key legislative reform priorities:

• installing modifications
• making personalisation changes
• balancing privacy and access
• improving the rental bond process
• fairer fees and charges.

Over 5,600 submissions were received from property owners, renters, property managers and the community.

From 1 July 2023, Queensland rental laws limited the frequency of rent increases to once a year for all tenancies to stabilise rents in the private rental market.

Queenslanders were asked to have their say on a proposed reform in a discussion paper (PDF, 379.85 KB) to apply the limit on rent increases to the rental property rather than individual tenancies.

We received submissions from rental property owners, managers, renters and the Queensland community providing feedback on this proposal.