Investigation request form

Use this form to request a Residential Tenancies Authority (RTA) investigation of an alleged offence committed under Queensland rental laws. You can also choose to lodge your request by downloading our PDF Investigation request form.

You can now anonymously report an advertised rental property where rent is not advertised/offered at a fixed price.

Help completing this form

If you need help completing this form, you can ask a support person to complete it on your behalf. They’ll just need to provide their details at question 6.

You can also contact the RTA for help on 1300 366 311. 

What the RTA can investigate

As Queensland's rental sector regulator, the RTA performs the function of investigating allegations and taking enforcement action where offences are committed under the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008 (the Act).

The RTA can investigate alleged offences listed under the Act. A tenant/resident or property manager/owner can submit this form if:

  • the offence relates to a residential tenancy in Queensland
  • an offence has been committed under the Act, and
  • they acknowledge the RTA's collection, use and disclosure of information as outlined in the declaration at the end of the form.

What the RTA cannot investigate

The Act does not apply to all tenancy agreements. Short-term rentals (less than 6 weeks), holiday lettings and student accommodation may be exempt in some circumstances. The RTA is also unable to investigate:

  • tenancy disputes that do not constitute an offence under the Act
  • maintenance issues or minimum housing standards relating to a current tenancy (noting the RTA can investigate non-compliance with a Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) issued repair order.

RTA investigations are focused on upholding compliance and do not recover bond monies nor order compensation to be paid.

If your matter relates to any of the above you can:

Minimum housing standards

This investigation request form cannot be used to report issues related to minimum housing standards. For current tenancies, follow the emergency repair process. For advertised rental properties that don’t appear to meet minimum housing standards, report it anonymously.

Investigation request outcomes

The RTA will update you on the progress of your request, ask for any additional information needed and let you know if the allegations can be investigated.

Please note that under Queensland rental and privacy laws, the RTA cannot provide details of investigation findings or any enforcement action taken, even where an offence is substantiated. We can only confirm when the investigation has been finalised. 

Important: This form will help you determine whether your allegation constitutes an offence under the Act, which gives the RTA the authority to investigate. To avoid delays in processing your request, please answer all questions listed below.

1. Is the rental property within Queensland?
2. Is the rental property either holiday or traveller accommodation rented for less than 6 weeks?
3. Do you have an active dispute resolution case with the RTA related to the issue you are reporting?

The dispute and investigations processes are independent of each other.  

It is recommended to wait until any dispute is resolved before submitting an investigation request. It may impact the effectiveness of the dispute outcome if the other party is the subject of an investigation at the time of conciliation.  

4. Did the offence occur within the past 2 years?
5. Are you completing this form on behalf of someone else?
6. Details of person completing this form if helping another person
7. I am the

8. Your details

9. Address of rental property relating to the allegation

10. Please provide the start and end date (if applicable) of the tenancy/rooming accommodation agreement

11. Details of the person/company you are making the allegation against.
12. Does your allegation relate to a bond not being lodged with the RTA?
13. Is your tenancy agreement a rooming accommodation agreement?
14. Does your allegation relate to a repair order issued by the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT)?
15. What is your allegation about? (select all that apply)

In addition to the summary below, the RTA will also email you to request evidence to support the allegations. You’ll have 14 days to reply with the supporting evidence.

17. Have you previously provided evidence to the RTA about these allegations?

For more information about how the RTA collects and uses personal information, see our privacy plan  on the RTA website. The RTA does not accept responsibility for any loss or damage which may result from providing incorrect information to the RTA.  

Process after lodgement 

After lodging your request, you will receive an email asking you to provide evidence to support your allegations. You will have 14 days to provide supporting evidence. If you do not provide evidence within this timeframe, your request may be closed.  

Examples of evidence 

For examples of supporting evidence, see evidence in an investigation. 

What if I don't have evidence because the other party refuses to provide it? 

Before submitting an investigation request, contact the other party and request the required documents. Written communication is recommended as it may be considered evidence. If you are making an investigation request because documents have not been provided, provide details of the steps you have taken to request the documents in 'details about the allegation' section of the investigation request. 

What happens after evidence is provided? 

Your request will be assigned to an investigator within 30 days of receiving the required supporting evidence (this may be longer in peak periods). This can take longer if we need to collect additional information to proceed with your request.  

The investigator will carefully consider all the information and evidence provided by all parties to determine if an offence has occurred. An investigation may take anywhere from a few weeks to several months, depending on demand, availability of information, and the complexity and seriousness of the case. The investigator will discuss individual case length with you. Learn more about what happens in an investigation. 

How will I know if my investigation request has proceeded to an investigation assessment? 

An investigation request that includes all mandatory information will proceed for initial assessment. The request will be reviewed to identify whether an offence under the Act may have occurred. A notification will be sent via email to confirm that an investigation will begin or outline reasons the allegations are unsuitable for an investigation. An RTA officer may also contact you to discuss the initial assessment.