RENTING IN QUEENSLAND: NEW REFORMS AND YOUR ROLE IN CREATING A BETTER RENTAL FUTURE
Hey there! If you're a landlord in Queensland, we have news for you... The Queensland Government is working towards a better renting future for tenants, by implementing new rental law reforms. The focus is on providing a balanced approach that protects renters and rental property owners, while also improving stability in the rental market.
One of the immediate actions taken by the Queensland Government to address cost of living pressures for Queensland households and the challenging conditions in Queensland’s private rental market is to stabilize rents. From July 1st, 2023, rent increase frequency will be reduced to once a year. This will help improve consumer protections while the second stage of Rental Law Reform is being progressed.
The second stage of rental law reforms will be based on feedback received from Queensland renters, rental property owners, and managers, and all Queenslanders. The aim is to improve rental experiences across five key legislative reform priorities. The Queensland Government has developed an Options Paper to seek feedback on policy options to change Queensland's rental laws and identify their impacts.
The 5 key legislative reform priorities included in the Options Paper are: installing modifications, making personalisation changes, balancing privacy and access, improving the rental bond process, and fairer fees and charges.
You can have your say until 29 May 2023 by taking an online survey, making a written submission responding to the consultation questions in the Options Paper, and providing any other feedback. The goal is to ensure that rental law reforms are done right.
Most of the stage 1 rental law reforms have commenced, with minimum housing standards set to apply to new tenancies entered from 1 September 2023 and to all tenancies from 1 September 2024. This longer transition period for Minimum Housing Standards will support rental property owners to plan and budget for any work required for their rental property to comply with the new legislation.
The rental law reforms implemented in Stage 1 have already improved safety, security, and certainty for the Queensland rental market. The amendments delivered rental law reforms to:
- End without grounds evictions, providing more certainty about how and when a tenancy can end
- Strengthen protections for renters against retaliatory actions, such as eviction and rent increases if they try to enforce their rights
- Set minimum housing standards to ensure rental properties in Queensland are safe, secure and functional
- Make it easier for renters to have a pet
- Give renters experiencing domestic and family violence the right to end their interest in a tenancy with limited liability for end of lease costs.
HAVE YOUR SAY BY 5:00PM ON 29 MAY 2023:
- ONLINE SURVEY: https://yoursay.chde.qld.gov.au/login
- VISIT: qld.gov.au/rentinginqld
- CALL: 13QGOV (137 468)
- WRITTEN SUBMISSION BY EMAIL TO: [email protected]
- WRITTEN SUBMISSION BY POST TO: RENTING IN QLD - HOUSING & HOMELESSNESS SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITIES, HOUSING & DIGITAL ECONOMY: PO BOX 690, BRISBANE QLD 4001
More information available here: https://www.chde.qld.gov.au/about/initiatives/rental-law-reform
You can also read the options paper here: https://www.chde.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0025/34387/stage-2-rental-law-reform-options-paper.pdf
