Committee Details

Committee's report

The committee tabled its report on 16 August 2021. The Bill was discharged from the Notice Paper on 14 October 2021 under Standing Order 87.

About the Bill

On 26 May 2021, Dr Amy MacMahon MP, Member for South Brisbane, introduced the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation (Tenants’ Rights) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2021 (Bill) into the Queensland Parliament.  The Bill was referred to the Community Support and Services Committee for detailed consideration and report by Friday 26 November 2021.

The explanatory notes state that the objective of the Bill is to improve rights for renters in Queensland, address rental affordability concerns and improve access to safe and secure housing. The Bill aims to achieve its policy objectives by amending the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008 to:

• improve lease security by removing the ability for “no grounds” evictions or evictions for sale contract by the lessor, and replacing these provisions with two new grounds for a notice to leave
• vary minimum notice periods for a notice to leave
• create an offence for lessors who issue a notice to leave on false grounds
• ensure certain inclusions in regulations made regarding minimum standards for rental homes
• require lessors or lessors’ agents to provide more comprehensive information about the property to prospective tenants
• remove the lessor or lessors’ agents ability to ask inappropriate rental application questions of prospective tenants
• remove the lessor or lessors’ agents ability to accept rent bids from prospective tenants
• limit rent increases to once every 24 months and by no more than CPI per year, including if there is a period for which the property is not rented or if current tenants move out and new tenants enter on a new lease
• give tenants the right to keep a pet unless the lessor applies successfully to the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (the Tribunal) for an order refusing the pet on reasonable grounds
• allow tenants to make minor modifications to a rental property without first obtaining the landlord’s consent
• improve tenant privacy by increasing notice periods for entry to the premises
• provide for the prompt forwarding of water bills by lessors where a tenant is required to pay for water consumption charges
• remove the ability for a lessor to remove a resident under a rooming accommodation agreement without a Tribunal order, to bring the rights of tenants in rooming accommodation in line with tenant’s rights in other residential rental accommodation.

The Bill also amends the Police Powers and Responsibilities Act 2000 to reflect the amendment regarding lessor’s rights to remove a resident without a Tribunal order.

Related inquiry

The committee simultaneously considered the Housing Legislation Amendment Bill 2021 which covers similar subject matter to the Bill.

Submissions

It is standard practice for committees to publish the names of submitters, unless they have indicated that they wish to keep their names withheld or the committee determines otherwise due to the content of the submission.  The committee has been made aware that some submitters engaging through some third party campaign portals, may have been advised that names would not be published. Given the personal and very sensitive nature of some information shared with the committee, and to ensure that submissions can be published promptly, the committee has decided to anonymise submissions generated through campaign portals.

The closing date for written submissions was 12:00pm, Tuesday 13 July 2021.

Contacts for advice and support

If you are affected by any of the issues raised through this inquiry process, details of organisations which can offer advice and support are provided below:
Lifeline Crisis Support – 13 11 14
Beyond Blue Support Service – 1300 224 636
DVConnect – 1800 811 811 - link to website
Men's Line – 1800 600 636 - link to website
1800RESPECT – 1800 737 732
Sexual Assault Helpline – 1800 010 120
Homeless Hotline – 1800 474 753 - link to website

If you require housing assistance you may also contact your local Housing Service Centre of the Department of Communities, Housing and Digital Economy. A full list of Housing Service Centres is available here.

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