If you are concerned about the amounts being claimed in the bond refund process, the RTA encourages property managers/owners and tenants/residents work together to try and self-resolve in the first instance. If you are unable to reach agreement through self-resolution, you can apply for free dispute resolution with the RTA.

The RTA is unable to investigate breaches of the agreement that do not constitute an alleged offence under the Act.

Concerns or disputes about property maintenance are unsuitable for investigation with the exception of non-compliance with a Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) repair order.

The RTA encourages property managers/owners and tenants/residents work together to try and self-resolve in the first instance. If you are unable to reach agreement through self-resolution, you can apply for free dispute resolution with the RTA.

If the property manager/owner has not provided an entry notice, or has exceeded entry notice periods and the entry does not meet the criteria for when an entry notice is not required, you can submit an investigation request via the Investigation request online form. If you are unable to complete the online form, you can download the PDF investigation request form.

Rent increases are limited to 12 months and are attached to the property.

It is an offence under the Act for property managers/owners to request from a prospective tenant about:

• Legal action taken by the prospective tenant, including dispute resolution or matters considered by the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT).  
• Notices to remedy a breach, either given to or by the prospective tenant.  
• Rental bond history, including any claims on a rental bond.  
• Statements of credit accounts or bank transactions details.

A rental property must be advertised at a fixed rate - failing to do so is an offence.

A property manager/owner must also not:

• advertise a property with a rent range (e.g. between $420 to $460 per week)
• put a property up for rent auction
• proactively tell applicants to offer over the advertised rental price and encourage them to outbid each other or accept offers of higher amounts over the advertised price.

If you have evidence that a property has not been advertised at a fixed price, rent bidding has been encouraged by the property manager/owner, or an offer has been accepted over the advertised price, you can report it anonymously for investigation or by using the Investigation request online form. If you are unable to complete the online form, you can download the PDF investigation request form.

Find out more about rent bidding.

Property managers/owners must offer tenants/residents at least two options to pay rent. One of these options must not exceed reasonable transactional costs (costs beyond standard transaction fees), and it must be reasonably accessible to the tenant/resident.

Tenants must be given receipts for all rent payments made in cash, and receipts must be given on request for payments made by cheque within 3 days.

Property managers/owners must keep records of rent payments, and if a tenant/resident requests a copy the property manager/owner must provide a copy within 7 days.

The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) investigates real estate agents and onsite managers who have:

• used rent money for another purpose within the tenancy (e.g. to cover a water bill or to pay for repairs)
• not lodged a bond with the RTA.

Visit the OFT website to learn more.

A property manager/owner must provide at least 2 different ways for prospective tenants/residents to submit their applications. One of the ways must not be restrictive.

Restrictive ways refer to situations where a prospective tenant/resident is required to provide their personal information through an online platform to someone who is not the property manager/owner, but who is collecting the information on behalf of the property manager/owner, and also refers to a method that incurs a cost to the prospective tenant/resident, such as an application fee or the cost to conduct a background check.  

Property managers/owners are not allowed to keep a copy or record the details of any identity document sighted in person without the prospective tenant’s consent.  

A standardised tenancy application form, Rental Application (Form 22/R22), is required when applying for rental properties in Queensland. Under the Act, property managers/owners must use a standardised form or a form that complies with the Act, unless they are exempt as a relevant lessor. 

A property manager/owner must lodge a tenant's/resident's rental bond with the RTA within 10 days of receiving it and provide a receipt.

The property manager/owner must provide the tenant/resident with a signed copy of the entry condition report at the start of a tenancy, which indicates if each item on the list is clean, undamaged and working.

The Act outlines laws about listing and keeping of another person's records on a tenancy database.

The Act outlines ways a property manager/owner can end a tenancy and recover possession of a rental property from a tenant/resident. A property manager/owner must not recover possession in a way not authorised under the Act.

A property manager/owner must provide a tenant/resident a copy of the signed tenancy agreement within 14 days from the date it was signed.

The RTA proactively monitors compliance with repair orders issued by the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT).

It is an offence for a person to knowingly give the RTA documents that contain false or misleading information. This applies to all forms of written communication to the RTA, not just submitting online forms. It also applies to anyone who provides information to the RTA, not just tenants/residents and property managers/owners. 

It is also an offence to knowingly provide false or misleading information to the other party in a tenancy following notices:

• a notice to leave for sale contract
• a notice to leave for significant repair or renovations
• a notice to leave for demolition or redevelopment
• a notice to leave for change of use
• a notice to leave for owner occupation.

A tenant/resident is entitled to reasonable peace, comfort and privacy, and must be able to make full use of their property; this is called quiet enjoyment. 

If you believe your property manager/owner has interfered with your quiet enjoyment, you can submit an investigation request via the Investigation request online form. If you are unable to complete the online form, you can download the PDF investigation request form.

Rental bonds lodged on or after 30 September 2024 require supporting evidence to be provided to a tenant/resident when a property manager/owner claims or disputes a bond refund request. This must be done within 14 days of the bond claim or dispute. Not providing supporting evidence to a tenant/resident when a claim or dispute is made against a bond is an offence.

For rental bonds lodged with the RTA before 30 September 2024, a 12 month transitional period from 30 September 2024 to 30 September 2025 applies. Evidence does not need to be provided for bond claims until after this period expires for bonds lodged with the RTA before 30 September 2024.

Failure to comply with these requirements may result in a maximum penalty of 20 penalty units.

Note: Evidence must be provided to the tenant/resident, not to the RTA. 

Personal information collected during the tenancy for the purpose of managing the premises must be destroyed within 7 years after the end of the residential tenancy or rooming accommodation agreement. This includes photographs taken during inspections.  

Personal information collected from prospective tenants during the application process, who do not become tenants, must be destroyed within three months of the commencement of the successful tenant’s residential tenancy agreement.