Going away from your home
Information for Queensland public housing tenants.
You can be away from your home without our approval for either:
- up to 8 weeks at a time
- a total of 8 weeks in a 12-month period.
While you’re away, you must continue to meet your tenancy responsibilities, including:
- paying your rent and other debt arrangements
- keeping your electricity connected
- arranging for someone to check on the home.
Being away for more than 8 weeks
We understand that sometimes you may need to be away from your home for longer than 8 weeks.
With our approval, you may extend your absence beyond 8 weeks for these reasons:
- health and wellbeing (medical treatment, hospitalisation or rehabilitation, carer’s responsibilities)
- work, study or training
- family, kinship and cultural responsibilities
- travel for a significant life event, circumstance or emergency
- experiencing domestic, family or sexual violence or child safety issues
- going into a correctional facility for a short period.
If you need to be away for more than 5 months in a 12-month period, we may review your ongoing need for housing assistance.
If you believe that special circumstances require you to be away more than 5 months, talk to your nearest Housing Service Centre.
Getting a house sitter
You can arrange for a friend, relative or neighbour to housesit while you’re away. However, if they move into your home, you must tell us so we can add them to the household and have their income assessed accordingly.
You must also provide evidence of their income if they move in.
You are responsible for the behaviour of anyone who stays in your home while you’re away.
Notifying us of your absence
Even if you’re going away for a short time, you should tell us and provide contact details so we can reach you in an emergency.
You can notify us of a shorter absence, or apply for approval for a longer absence, by phoning, emailing, applying through the Tenant Assist Qld app or visiting your nearest Housing Service Centre.