Owning or managing a rental property

The Residential Tenancies Authority (RTA)

The RTA provides renting information and support to Queenslanders. They also provide a guide for managing general tenancies in Queensland. The guide sets out your rights and responsibilities as a property owner or manager of a rental property.

Services provided by the RTA include:

• a phone-based tenancy information service
• approved tenancy forms, including entry and exit condition reports
• a free tenancy dispute resolution service.

You can call the RTA on 1300 366 311 or submit an online enquiry.

Your responsibilities

As a property owner or manager of a rental property, you must:

• ensure the property is vacant, clean, and in good repair at the start of the tenancy
• lodge the rental bond with the RTA
• respect your tenant's privacy and comply with entry requirements
• carry out repairs and maintenance
• meet all health and safety laws
• include the date of the last rental increase in the tenancy agreement. This requirement applies to agreements that commenced after 6 June 2024. For exceptions to this requirement, see:
  • Pocket guide for tenants - houses and units, or
  • Pocket guide for tenants - caravan parks.

Tenancy databases

Tenancy databases list people who have previously had problems with their tenancies. These problems may include not paying rent or damaging a rental property.

There are rules about who, when, and under what circumstances a person can be listed on a tenancy database. The RTA provides information about these rules.

Only tenants named on the tenancy agreement can be listed on a tenancy database.

The companies below provide tenancy databases:

• TICA
• National Tenancy Database
• Trading Reference Australia.

Tenancy disputes

Free advice and support is available to help resolve tenancy disputes you may be experiencing. However, the best way to avoid disputes is for the people involved to talk to each other as soon as an issue arises.

Find helpful tips on how to resolve tenancy issues.

You can get free help with resolving tenancy issues from the RTA dispute resolution service.

Breaches of a tenancy agreement

A breach of a tenancy agreement means someone has failed to do what is required by law. The breach could be by the property owner or manager or by the tenant.

When there is a breach of the tenancy agreement, a Notice to remedy breach form can be issued. The form includes information about the breach and the date by which it needs to be fixed.

Get information from the RTA website about what happens when:

• a property owner or manager breaches the agreement
• a tenant breaches the agreement.

Applications to the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT)

QCAT is an independent tribunal. Its role is to provide a quick and inexpensive means to resolve disputes and make decisions.

See QCAT's Residential tenancy disputes page to find out if the tribunal will hear your case. Your case may need to go through RTA dispute resolution first.

You can call QCAT on 1300 753 228.