• Rooming accommodation information
  • Terms used and their meanings
  • Information for providers of rooming accommodation
  • Starting an agreement
  • During an agreement
  • Ending an agreement
  • Renting rooming accommodation in Queensland
• Rooming style student accommodation
  • FAQs for providers
  • Useful links for students
• All rooming accommodation forms
• Fact sheets
  • Power to remove a resident fact sheet
• Frequently asked questions
• Contacts for people in rooming accommodation
• Order RTA forms for rooming accommodation

Property left behind

Any property the resident leaves behind after they have left a place is considered to be lost property or abandoned goods.

The provider/agent may be fined if they don't deal with the resident's property in a way described in the Act.

If the resident leaves behind personal documents or money

If the resident leaves behind personal documents (e.g. Passport, Birth Certificate, Centrelink Card) or money, the provider/agent must:

• make an effort to contact the resident
• store the resident's property for at least 28 days, unless the resident reclaims it before that time
• give the property to the Public Trustee if the resident has not claimed it within the 28 days.

Remember: If the lost property the resident left behind is money, the provider/agent can deduct any money the resident may owe them before they give what is left of the money to the Public Trustee.

Property other than personal documents and money

If 28 days have passed and if the property is less than $600 it can be donated to charity.

This is the only time the laws allow the provider/agent to sell or give away the resident's property. The provider/agent can only keep enough money to pay for storage or advertising and for any rent the resident may owe. The rest of the money must be sent to the Public Trustee.

If the resident comes back to get their property after 28 days have passed and the provider/agent still has it, they must give it to the resident, even if they have advertised to sell it.

The provider/agent cannot keep any of the resident's property to pay for any rent they owe them.

If the resident has any problems in getting back their property and they are not sure if the provider/agent has followed the law, they can contact their local Tenant Advice and Adovacy Service Queensland or the Tenants Union of Queensland.

Remember: The resident will have to pay the manager for any money they have spent looking after your lost property.  

More information

• Goods and documents left behind fact sheet