We know some customers use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to understand their rights and responsibilities under Queensland tenancy law. In a recent poll on our Instagram, 42% of people said they use AI to interpret Queensland tenancy law at least some of the time.
AI can be a helpful tool, but it’s not always reliable if you’re using it to understand the law or need help with a personal situation.
That’s because AI tools like ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot and Google’s AI Overviews are a type of AI called ‘Large Language Models’ (LLMs). Unlike a search engine that finds the answer to your question, AI tries to predict the answer and does not check whether it’s correct and complete.
This means AI tools can make mistakes – these mistakes are often called ‘hallucinations’ because AI can confidently make up information, or mistake opinions for facts.
The Residential Tenancies Authority (RTA) encourages customers to be cautious about relying on AI-generated answers to inform or make decisions.
We recommend using the RTA website when you have questions about Queensland tenancy law. You can use the search box in the upper right hand corner to find what you’re looking for.
To demonstrate, we’ve provided examples of AI answering questions about Queensland tenancy law with information that’s incorrect or incomplete. We’ve also included helpful tips about how to use AI to support your understanding of rental laws while avoiding common issues.
Examples of AI hallucinations
Keep in mind that AI doesn't use intelligence to answer questions. Apart from trying to predict answers – which can lead to incorrect information – AI may also provide different answers each time you ask the same question.
Example 1
We asked what offences may apply to tenants under the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008 (the Act).
(click to expand image - example 1a)
As you can see, the AI hallucinated most of its answer in this example. But there’s another problem – the AI doesn’t provide any context or additional information. It simply tries to provide a list of offences that apply to tenants without explaining each offence.
For example, it’s important to know that there are exceptions where certain offences may not apply. Tenants must provide a new address when moving – unless the tenant is experiencing domestic and family violence (DFV). If a tenant ends a lease due to DFV, they don’t need to provide their new address to the property manager/owner.
Even if the AI-generated answer is correct, if you don’t prompt the AI, it won’t provide important details that can change the meaning of its answers.
Example 2
We asked AI about microapartments, which are a type of residential accommodation that’s becoming popular in Queensland.
(click to expand image – example 2a)
Choosing the right tenancy agreement for a microapartment helps you understand your rights and what to expect during the tenancy.
While the AI-generated answer gets some things right, it doesn’t explain the different types of agreements or how that affects you. That may be a problem if you’re renting a microapartment and need help with a tenancy situation.
In the above example, AI gives an incomplete answer, but the RTA’s guide to renting a microapartment provides all the information you need.
Tips for using AI tools when researching Queensland tenancy law
1. Double-check the information you’re given
The best thing you can do when using AI is double-check the information. AI can help when you’re researching a new topic, but it may not provide correct or in-depth information.
Instead, you could use AI to help learn the basics of a topic and then find detailed information on the RTA website.
2. Check the sources used by the AI
Most AI tools supply the sources they use to generate an answer. If you click on the source links, tools like ChatGPT and Google’s AI Overviews will highlight the text that was referenced. In the example below, the text that’s highlighted in purple was referenced by an AI tool:
Remember: AI can generate answers using more than one source. Just because it used information from one good website (like the RTA website), doesn’t mean the AI-generated answer is correct. For example, when AI is asked about Queensland tenancy law, it may provide information from other states and territories where rental laws can be different.
3. Avoid using AI for legal processes
AI tools may give step-by-step instructions for legal processes, but the information is often incomplete. Here’s an example of AI giving the incorrect steps when asked about goods and documents left behind:
(click to expand image – example 3a)
The way you handle goods and documents left behind depends on the type of tenancy agreement used. In this example, we covered the rules for General tenancy agreements (Form 18a), but this may not apply to Moveable dwelling tenancy agreements (Form 18b) or Rooming accommodation agreements (Form R18).
4. Avoid sharing personal details
Never share personal details with AI. That information may be stored or used to improve how AI works. You don’t have any control over how that information is used or where it’s kept, and you can’t delete it.
If you have a question and need to provide your personal details, please contact the RTA. The RTA has a privacy plan that sets out how we collect, use and store personal information.
5. Contact the RTA if you’re unsure
We recommend using the RTA website or contacting us if you have questions about Queensland tenancy law. We provide information and support that’s tailored to you, so we can help answer any questions you may have.
You’re welcome to make suggestions for information you’d like to see on the RTA website, or ways we can improve our content.
Helpful ways to use AI
Here are some of the ways AI may be able to help with managing your tenancy. AI can be used to:
- write emails to your property manager/owner, e.g. when asking questions or requesting repairs
- organise information into clear categories and subheadings
- find links to useful information on Queensland Government websites.
As long as you double-check that the AI is correct, it may be a useful tool for understanding your rental rights and responsibilities.
More information
The RTA website is the best source of information about residential tenancies in Queensland. You can use the search box in the upper right-hand corner to find what you’re looking for. We also provide resources for tenants/residents in other languages and a free interpreter service.
Please contact us for more information.
Note: While the RTA makes every reasonable effort to ensure that information on this website is accurate at the time of publication, changes in circumstances after publication may impact on the accuracy of material. This disclaimer is in addition to and does not limit the application of the Residential Tenancies Authority website disclaimer.