Form 11: Notice to remedy breach

Who sends or completes it?

Either a tenant or the property manager or owner may issue it to the other party.

When is it used?

During a tenancy when one side alleges a breach of the agreement.

Read the entire form, including its notes and timeframes. The correct next step can depend on your agreement type, the stated reason, how the document was delivered and what has already happened.

Read the alleged breach word for word

Form 11 is a notice to remedy an alleged breach during a tenancy. It can be issued by a tenant or by the lessor or agent. Start with the address, names, date issued, agreement term relied on, description of the breach and the remedy date. Read every attachment: an allegation that looks vague on the first page may be explained on a continuation sheet.

Separate the document from the emotion it creates. A Form 11 is not automatically proof that a breach occurred, but it is also not safe to ignore. Make a copy before writing on it, mark the date received and compare the allegation with the agreement, receipts, messages, photographs and earlier repair or conduct reports.

Count the right remedy period

The current RTA table commonly gives seven days for a general breach and seven days for unpaid rent after rent has already been unpaid for seven days, but accommodation type and the alleged ground matter. Caravan-park and rooming-accommodation rules can differ. Check the current RTA form page rather than applying a rule remembered from another tenancy.

Count from the correct event and do not assume the printed date is valid simply because it appears on the form. Service method, weekends, public holidays and the exact legislation can affect a deadline. If the date seems impossible, write down your calculation and seek advice while still taking sensible steps to prevent the alleged problem becoming worse.

Respond with action and evidence

If the allegation is correct, remedy it promptly and record what you did. If you disagree, say so in writing and explain the evidence. A practical response might say: ‘I refer to the Form 11 dated 12 September about items on the balcony. The bicycle was removed on 13 September; the attached photograph shows the remaining sealed storage boxes and the agreement term I rely on.’ Keep proof of delivery.

Do not make a payment or admission that changes the issue without understanding what it covers. For rent arrears, attach the bank transaction, receipt and ledger entries that show how the payment was allocated. For a repair breach, attach earlier requests, dates and photographs. Ask for a corrected notice where the facts or remedy requested are plainly wrong.

When a tenant issues Form 11

A renter can use Form 11 when the property manager or owner is alleged to have breached the agreement, for example by failing to complete a routine repair after a reasonable period. Confirm that Form 11 is the correct route before issuing it. Emergency repairs have their own contact and self-help rules, and some urgent disputes need QCAT rather than a standard remedy notice.

Describe the obligation, the physical problem and the remedy requested. Attach a concise history of earlier reports and allow access for a lawful repair. A formal notice is more useful when it follows a clear self-resolution message; sending a threatening notice without an address, dates or a supportable remedy can make the underlying problem harder to resolve.

Know what a notice does not decide

A Form 11 does not itself terminate the tenancy or decide who is right. If the recipient does not remedy an alleged breach, a lessor may take further steps under the Act, and a tenant may need dispute resolution or a tribunal application. The next legal step depends on the ground, the agreement, previous notices and whether the matter is urgent.

Do not retaliate by withholding ordinary rent, changing locks or denying every entry. Keep paying undisputed rent, comply with valid access arrangements and communicate in writing. Those practical choices preserve your position while the notice is checked and reduce the risk of a second allegation distracting from the first.

Worked example and safest next step

Suppose a Form 11 says rent was unpaid for seven days, but your bank record shows a transfer left your account on day six and the agent’s receipt allocated it to bond. Your immediate response is to attach the transfer, receipt and agreement, ask for the ledger to be corrected and state the rent amount you say is paid. Keep the alleged breach notice and do not send a second payment blindly.

If the notice concerns safety, repeated breaches, a significant amount or a risk of losing the home, contact the RTA on 1300 366 311 or QSTARS promptly. QLD Renters can explain the form’s structure, but it cannot determine whether the notice is valid in your circumstances.