Breaches
Disputes can arise if you don’t meet the terms of your tenancy agreement.
The best way to avoid disputes is to work together with us to resolve any problems as they arise.
We will work with you to support your tenancy, and do everything we can to help you understand your rights and responsibilities as a tenant.
Your responsibilities as a tenant
Your responsibilities as a tenant are outlined in the documents you received at the start of your tenancy.
These include:
- paying your rent on time and trying to be 2 weeks in advance
- taking good care of your home and yard by keeping it clean, tidy and in good condition
- ensuring your home is not used for illegal purposes
- being a good neighbour by respecting the peace, comfort and privacy of your neighbours
- letting the department know if you have any concerns with your tenancy, including if you need any repairs
- talking to your tenancy manager if you’re thinking of starting a business from your home.
Read more about your rights and responsibilities as a tenant.
Breach notices
If you haven’t met the terms of your tenancy agreement and we can’t resolve the dispute, we may send you a breach notice.
Also, if you believe we haven’t met our responsibilities, you can issue us with a Notice to remedy breach.
All breach notices from us give you 14 days to fix the problem. For example, if we give you a breach notice because your yard is untidy and the grass needs mowing, you have 14 days to mow the grass and clean the yard.
If you receive a breach notice from us, you can talk to your tenancy manager to try to fix the problem. We will work with you to resolve the breach, but it’s still your responsibility to make sure the problem is fixed within 14 days.
If you don’t fix your problem
If you receive a breach notice and don’t fix the problem within 14 days, we may give you a Notice to leave. This notice gives you 14 days to move out of the property.
If you don’t move out by the date on the notice, we may apply to the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) to end your tenancy.
If we don’t fix our problem
If you give us a Notice to remedy breach and we don’t fix the problem within the breach time frame, you can:
- apply for dispute resolution
- give us a Notice of intention to leave to end the tenancy.
If you decide to try dispute resolution and it doesn’t resolve the matter, you or we may apply to QCAT for an order to fix the problem or seek compensation.
For more information, talk to Housing staff or the Residential Tenancies Authority. Find your nearest office (PDF, 136KB).