The state government is proposing pet-friendly laws for renters, making it easier for people to have a pet.
The laws would end “without grounds” evictions, providing more certainty about ending a lease.
Member for Algester and Housing Minister Leanne Enoch said the proposed reforms provided a balanced approach and helped deliver certainty for the 34% of households who rent.
She said people relied on safe, secure and affordable housing. New laws would improve confidence in the rental market.
“The new laws provide a strong, balanced approach that protects the rights of renters and lessors, while improving stability in the rental market,” she said.
She said more people were renting, and for longer. That meant a need for market growth to help increase the number of rental properties while also protecting the rights of tenants.
“Our legislation strikes the right balance between the needs of the community, while also supporting continued investment in the housing market,” Ms Enoch said.
New laws would ensure all rental properties meet minimum quality standards, would provide clarity about the end of a tenancy, and would make it easier for renters to have a pet.
“We are also ensuring people fleeing domestic and family violence are able to end a lease with seven days’ notice, to ensure there is no barrier to being able to end a lease quickly and safely,” Ms Enoch said.
She said that some of the proposed renting reforms, such as the domestic and family violence measure, were tested during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Ms Enoch said that seniors living in resident-operated retirement villages would also benefit from the amendment legislation.
“The proposed changes will … enable resident-operated retirement villages to be exempted from mandatory buyback requirements under the Retirement Villages Act 1999,” she said.
“This will provide certainty and peace of mind to a small number of retirement villages where residents control and operate the retirement village themselves.”
Real Estate Institute of Queensland CEO Antonia Mercorella said: “We recognise that tenancy laws in Queensland must be modernised to keep pace with our changing rental landscape. In circumstances where 36% of our community rent their homes, the right regulatory framework is critically important to provide security and certainty to both tenants and owners.”
What the new renting laws will do:
- Establish minimum standards to ensure all Queensland rental properties meet standards for safety, security and functionality. This includes making sure accessible windows and doors have functioning latches, kitchen and laundry facilities are in good repair and do not present a safety risk with normal use, and properties are weatherproof and structurally sound.
- Provide clear approved grounds for how a tenancy can be terminated. For a lessor, this can include: end of the agreed term under a fixed term lease, significant repair or renovation needing to occur, sale of property, and owner occupation. Lessors will also be able to seek an order from the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal to terminate the tenancy for significant or serious breach of the lease by a tenant. For a tenant, this can include: property not being in good repair and not complying with minimum standards, lessor provided false or misleading information about the lease or property, co-tenant is deceased.
- A property owner will not be able to issue a notice to leave ‘without grounds’, providing tenants with more certainty.
- A tenant can end their interest in a lease with seven days’ notice if they are unable to safely continue it because they are experiencing domestic and family violence.
- If a tenant requests to keep a pet, a lessor must have reasonable grounds to refuse and respond in writing to this request within 14 days. Reasonable grounds include if the property is unsuitable, and if keeping the pet would breach laws or by-laws. Lessors can also place reasonable conditions on pet ownership, including that the pet is to be kept outside or that carpets are cleaned and the property is fumigated at the end of a lease. Rent increase is not a reasonable condition. The laws also clarify that fair wear and tear does not include pet damage.
