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Queensland renting guides

Clear next steps for the documents, deadlines and disputes renters deal with most. Every guide states who it applies to, when it was reviewed and where the information came from.

These guides are general information. Rental rules can depend on your agreement, tenancy type and circumstances. Check the current RTA guidance or get tenancy advice before acting on a deadline.
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Showing 24 of 24 guides.

Rent & money

Rent increases in Queensland

For most Queensland rentals, rent cannot increase until at least 12 months after the current rent became payable for the property.

Reviewed 13 Sept 2026
Bonds

Getting your rental bond back

Prepare your evidence before handover, keep the exit report and claim through the RTA as soon as your tenancy has ended.

Reviewed 13 Sept 2026
Repairs

Emergency repairs in a Queensland rental

Contact the emergency contact on your agreement first. If they cannot be reached in a reasonable time, special repair and reimbursement rules may apply.

Reviewed 13 Sept 2026
Privacy & access

Entry notices and routine inspections

A property manager or owner usually needs a lawful reason, the correct notice and an entry time that complies with Queensland rules.

Reviewed 13 Sept 2026
Pets

Requesting a pet in a Queensland rental

Use Form 21 for each pet and keep proof of delivery. A compliant written response is due within 14 days of receipt.

Reviewed 13 Sept 2026
Notice to remedy breach

I received a Form 11 — what now?

Read the alleged breach and remedy date immediately, preserve your evidence, and respond in writing before the situation escalates.

Reviewed 13 Sept 2026
Ending a tenancy

Moving out of a Queensland rental

Choose the correct notice and handover date, document the property, return every key and keep the bond process separate from informal deductions.

Reviewed 13 Sept 2026
Bills & utilities

Water charges for Queensland tenants

A tenant can only be charged where the legal and property requirements are met, and the bill must be passed on within the required time.

Reviewed 12 Sept 2026
Repairs

Routine repairs that are taking too long

Report the problem in writing as soon as possible, allow a reasonable repair period and preserve a clear record before escalating the issue.

Reviewed 12 Sept 2026
Property standards

Minimum housing standards in Queensland

Queensland rental properties must meet minimum standards for safety, security and functionality when a tenant moves in and throughout the tenancy.

Reviewed 12 Sept 2026
Rent & money

Rent payment options and extra fees

A Queensland renter must be offered at least two ways to pay rent, including a reasonably available option that does not cost more than usual bank charges.

Reviewed 12 Sept 2026
Starting a tenancy

Rental applications and your privacy

Queensland's standardised rental-application process limits what managing parties can request and requires more than one submission method.

Reviewed 12 Sept 2026
Bonds

Rental bond amounts and lodgement

For a general Queensland tenancy, the usual maximum bond is four weeks' rent, and bond money taken must generally be receipted and lodged with the RTA within 10 days.

Reviewed 12 Sept 2026
Applying & payments

Rent in advance and rent bidding

A rental must be advertised at a fixed price, and at the start of a tenancy the owner or agent cannot solicit, accept or invite rent above that price or more than the permitted rent in advance.

Reviewed 12 Sept 2026
Rent & money

Rent ledgers, receipts and missing payments

The managing party must keep an accurate rent record, and a tenant who asks for a copy of the rent ledger should receive it within seven days.

Reviewed 12 Sept 2026
Ending a tenancy

Breaking a lease and reletting costs

A renter who leaves a fixed term early may owe reletting costs, but the current calculation is capped and the owner or agent must take reasonable steps to reduce the loss.

Reviewed 12 Sept 2026
Ending a tenancy

Ending a fixed-term tenancy

A fixed term does not always end automatically: the correct notice, lawful reason and handover date still matter for both renters and managing parties.

Reviewed 12 Sept 2026
Moving in

How to complete an entry condition report

Check Form 1a room by room, add your own comments and dated evidence, then return the signed report within seven days of the later of moving in or receiving it.

Reviewed 12 Sept 2026
Moving out

How to complete an exit condition report

Complete Form 14a after removing your belongings and cleaning, compare it with the entry report, take dated photos and give it back when returning the keys.

Reviewed 12 Sept 2026
Changes to the property

Fixtures and structural changes in a rental

Use Form 23 and get written approval before attaching a fixture or making a structural change; the owner or manager must respond in writing within 28 days.

Reviewed 12 Sept 2026
Resolving disputes

Using RTA dispute resolution

The RTA's free, impartial conciliation service can help parties negotiate, but a conciliator cannot decide who is right or impose an outcome.

Reviewed 12 Sept 2026
QCAT

Taking a tenancy dispute to QCAT

First identify whether the matter is urgent or non-urgent, check whether an RTA Notice of unresolved dispute is required, and build an indexed evidence pack around the orders you seek.

Reviewed 13 Sept 2026
After moving out

Goods left behind after a tenancy

Belongings and personal documents left at a rental cannot simply be kept for unpaid money; specific contact, storage, sale and disposal rules apply.

Reviewed 12 Sept 2026
Safety & security

Locks, keys and security in a rental

The property manager or owner must supply and maintain locks and give the required keys; outside specific exceptions, changing locks normally requires agreement.

Reviewed 12 Sept 2026