Your Rights in a Private Rental
The Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008 governs your rights and responsibilities as a tenant.
You have the right for the property owner/manager to
- Ensure the property is vacant, clean and in good repair at the start of your tenancy
- Provide you with a prepared entry condition report for you to sign and comment at the start of your tenancy
- Respect your privacy and comply with entry requirements
- Carry out repairs and maintenance within a reasonable time
- Meet all health and safety laws
- Lodge your bond money and signed form to the RTA within 10 days
You have the responsibility to
- Pay rent on time as per your rental agreement
- Keep the property clean and undamaged, and leave it in the same condition is was in when you moved in (fair wear and tear excepted)
- Abide by the terms of the tenancy agreement
- Respect your neighbours’ right to peace and quiet
- Not use the property for illegal purposes
- Seek written permission to install fixtures or make changes to the property, or sub-let
Complaints and Help for Private Rental Issues
There are a range of organisation which you can connect with to resolve issues you may be having about your private rental. Refer to the below list of organisations for how they can assist.
Residential Tenancies Authority (RTA) – If you want to complain about an issue regarding private tenancy, including rental bonds, you can contact the Residential Tenancies Authority (RTA). The Residential Tenancies Authority (RTA) is a Queensland Government statuatory authority that administers the Residential Tennancies and Rooming Accomodation Act 2008. The RTA provides tenancy infomration and support, bond management, dispute resolution, investigation, and policy and education services.
The RTA can help you with:
- your rights as a tenant
- things to think of before you rent
- starting or ending a tenancy
- dispute resolution
Phone: 1300 366 311
Website: www.rta.qld.gov.au
Office of Fair Trading – If you want to complain about a real estate agent or agency contact the Office of Fair Trading.
Phone: 13 74 68
Email: brisbaneoft@justice.qld.gov.au
Phone: 1300 366 311
Website: www.qld.gov.au/law/fair-trading
Tenants QLD is a specialist community legal service that provides a range of tenancy information and advocacy services including a telephone advice service for tenants, legal and advocacy support and tenancy law training and publications. Tenants QLD may be able to advise you in regard any tenancy issues you may have.
Phone: 1300 744 263
Website: www.tenantsqld.org.au
Queensland Statewide Tenant Advice Referral Service (QSTARS) is a free state-wide advice and referral service for Queensland tenants. They aim to provide free, independent tenant advisory services that assist tenants to manage and sustain their tenancy.
QSTARS may help with:
- Advice about how to respond to a claim or present your matter
- Advice and assistance to understand your tenancy rights and responsibilities
- Support to resolve your tenancy issue
- Advocacy support to talk to your lessor or agent
- Help to write a letter or fill in tenancy forms
- Help to attend or prepare for a QCAT tenancy tribunal hearing
- Referral to other services if needed
They offer advice if you are having a tenancy dispute with your lessor, agent or provider or if you are a:
- Residential tenant
- Rooming resident
- Boarder
- Boarder in a boarding house
- Prospective renter
- Renting in private rental
- In social housing, public or community housing
- Renting in a caravan park
They cannot assist in the following types of dispute:
- Lessors, agents or organisations that provide housing.
- Head-tenants in dispute with people they rent to. If a head tenant rents rooms to other tenants the head-tenant is acting as a lessor.
- Co-tenants who have a current or potential dispute with another co-tenant.
- Disputes between tenants
- Neighbourhood issues which are not covered by tenancy law.
Phone: 1300 744 263
Website: www.qstars.org.au
Legalpedia is an online database run by LawRight. It contains fact sheets, information and links to advocacy groups.
Website: http://www.legalpediaqld.org.au/index.php?title=Tenancy