In this blog/video, we explore the new Queensland rental laws that just began this week, on 01 May 2025.
We explain what every QLD landlord and tenant needs to know - from topics like standardising the rental process, enhanced entry notice periods and frequency limits, tenant requests for fixtures and structural changes, and more...
Prefer to watch/listen? Click here to consume this content via YouTube!
Hi everybody - George Sourris, Empire Legal.
Today's topic: New Rental Laws Just Dropped – What Every QLD Landlord & Tenant Needs to Know
On the 1st of May 2025, significant amendments to Queensland's rental laws came into effect under the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation And Other Legislation Amendment Act 2024. How good's that for a name. These rights aim to enhance transparency, protect tenant rights, and clarify obligations for property owners and managers.
Let's kick off. I've got a few points to run through today.
Number 1 - standardized rental application process. Property managers and owners are now required to use the Residential Tenancies Authority's (RTA) standardised rental application forms. A Form 22 for general tenancies, and a Form R22 for rooming accommodations. Additionally, applicants must be provided with at least two methods to submit their applications, one of which must not be restrictive, eg. methods that don't require third party platforms or incur additional costs.
For example, if you're using a third party platform primarily, you'll have to offer a traditional model that doesn't require any fees, maybe like a paper-based option, for example.
Number 2 - enhanced entry notice periods and frequency limits. The minimum notice period for property entry has increased, so we're talking 48 hours for general tenancies, and 24 hours for rooming accommodations for cleaning a room, and then 48 hours for any other reason.
Furthermore, after issuing a notice to leave (Form 12), or receiving a notice of intention to leave (Form 13), the property managers / owners cannot enter the property more than twice in a seven day period, while the notice is in effect, with certain exemptions. That one's huge, guys. So for example, if you've got two things planned, you can't put a third one in a 7 day window. I encourage you to jump on the RTA website to look at all the examples and the T's & C's for that.
Number 3 - disclosure of financial benefits. Property managers and owners must now disclose any financial benefit they receive from rent payment methods offered to tenants. This ensures tenants are fully informed about any cost associated with their chosen payment method.
Alright, so what's a "financial benefit"? So this could include: commission or referral fees received from a third party rent platform, eg. a platform that charges tenants processing fees, but pays a cut to the agency, incentives or bonuses from rent collection systems or software providers, and any payment or value in kind linked to how a tenant pays their rent.
Quick example, let's say the property manager offers the tenant an option to pay the rent via a third party payment platform, that charges a $2.50 processing fee per transaction. Unbeknownst to the tenant, the agency receives a commission from that platform for every payment processed.
Under the new law, the property manager must disclose that they're receiving a financial benefit from that arrangement, ideally in writing before the tenant agrees to use that payment method.
Number 4 - tenant requests for fixtures and structural changes. This is huge guys. Tenants wishing to attach fixtures or make structural changes must use a new Form 23 to seek approval from the property manager / owner.
The property manager / owner has 28 days to respond to such requests. Failure to respond within this timeframe may allow tenants to proceed, subject to certain conditions. There is a whole section on the RTA website dedicated to this. Here is the link, so you can dive in a little bit deeper there.
That's a huge change from the current situation. We're talking fixtures, so items that are not movable, that are not "free" in rental properties.
Number 5 - personal information collection and storage. So new limits are placed on personal information that property managers and owners can collect during the rental application process. During this process, landlords and agents must not request or collect personal information that is irrelevant to the tenancy.
So, this includes details about the applicant's protected attributes such as race, religion, gender identity, or political views. They're also required to destroy personal information within a specified timeframe, enhancing tenant privacy and data protection.
For example, an unsuccessful tenant's information must be destroyed, or de-identify the person's personal information within three months.
Number 6 - Introduction of new offences and penalties. The amendments introduce new offences under the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act, with associated penalties for non-compliance. So these changes underscore the importance of adhering to the updated legal requirements. For a comprehensive understanding of these changes, again, jump on the RTA website. I'm going to give a couple of quick examples of penalties. Guys, the stakes are higher for property owners and managers who fail to meet their obligations here.
Example 1 - failing to use the standard application form. So from 1st of May, so we're talking a week in the past today, using a non-approved or third party rental application form without also offering the RTA standard Form 22 or Form R 22 is considered an offence. If a property manager or landlord fails to offer the approved method or restricts the way a tenant can apply e.g. through a paid application, they may face fines of up to 20 penalty units, which equates to $3,096 as at the 2025 rates.
Example 2 - ignoring entry limits after notice to leave or notice of intention to leave. So this is the Form 12 and the Form 13 that I spoke about earlier. Once they're issued, landlord / agents are now limited to two entries per seven days, unless otherwise agreed.
Breaching this can result to in complaints to the RTA & QCAT, and repeat offenders may face fines or compensation orders. So, make sure your administration and your processes are up to date with these new laws guys!
Wrapping up -
At Empire Legal, we're committed to keeping our clients informed and compliant with the latest legal developments.
If you have any questions or assistance to navigate these changes, please don't hesitate to contact our team, but please keep in mind guys, we are experts in the sales area, so we're talking residential conveyancing.
If you do have specific RTA questions, the best place to go is the RTA website, but obviously we're up to date with any deal that we're involved with, a sale or a purchase, and there's tenancies involved. Happy to help. Huge updates for rental laws in Queensland. Guys, I hope you learnt something today.
That's it for today - have a great day.
I would love to hear your thoughts. Head over to our Instgram or YouTube and drop us a comment please.
Also, a reminder to email me if you have any blog suggestions where we can help this audience. What do you want to know? Please email me and I will continue to create helpful, informative, free, easy to digest content. You can catch me at george@empirelegal.com.au.
Guys, that's it for this week. Thank you so much. As you know, there's not too many property lawyers in Queensland getting out in front of a camera every week, bringing the latest breaking property news to you. It's all free, doesn't cost you a dollar. Just want you to subscribe - so we can help more people get found.
Thanks guys. We'll see you next week!
If you know anyone that is involved in Queensland property, or is just genuinely curious - send them our page, send them our channel. It's all free content. We just want to help you be armed with the tools to make good decisions. Check out our website for more blogs. We've got over 100!
We want to help you. If you've been listening to us for a while, but you haven't made contact, please do! We want to help people buy and sell homes and deliver QLD's best conveyancing experience. Thanks guys, we'll see you next week.
Subscribe to our YouTube and our blog. We want to get to 1,000 YouTube subscribers. We're only going to do that with your help. We're giving out this content for FREE to help you and your peers. Spread the good word of Empire Legal. We want to help everyone make property law in Queensland easy and smooth sailing.
If you have any questions, you can email me: george@empirelegal.com.au.
If this has added value, please share this blog / the YouTube video with a friend.
Thanks for reading everybody. See you on the next one.
Ladies and gentlemen, please keep in mind that all advice is general in nature and does not constitute legal advice. This is authorised by George Sourris, Empire Legal, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
---------------------------------------
We can help…
For simple, sunny, smooth sailing conveyancing - Empire Legal.
We look forward to continuing to help thousands of Queenslanders every year with their conveyancing!
Any questions? Want to know more? Get in contact with us via the below form or via info@empirelegal.com.au.
Note: all information is general in nature and as each matter is unique please contact our office for tailored advices: the above does not constitute legal advice.