The Residential Tenancies Authority (RTA) was pleased to host two stakeholder working group meetings in June 2025.

The working groups, which met for the first time in February 2025, were established to increase collaboration between the RTA and stakeholders from the Queensland rental sector, provide a greater focus on outcomes, and help the RTA to deliver improved customer services.

Key outcomes from the meetings are summarised below.

Joint meeting: Tenants and the rental community with property managers and property owners

The working group for stakeholders representing tenants and the rental community and the working group for managing parties (property managers and property owners) held a joint meeting on 10 June. It was attended by 4 property owners and representatives from:

• Australian Resident Accommodation Managers’ Association (ARAMA)
• BHC Creating Liveable Communities
• Caravan Parks Association of Queensland
• Community Plus+
• Gold Coast Rental Management
• Hervey Bay Neighbourhood Centre
• Iglu Kelvin Grove
• Independent Regional Advocacy Service Inc (IRASI)
• Property Owners' Association of Queensland (POAQ)
• Q Shelter
• Queensland Council of Social Service (QCOSS)
• Queensland Public Trustee
• Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ)
• Supported Accommodation Providers' Association
• Tenants Queensland (TQ).

Feedback from participants suggested the sector seems to have responded well to legislative changes. However, there is an ongoing need for education to support compliance with the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008. Recent updates were noted, including the new priority offences in the Compliance and enforcement action plan 2024–26.

Concerns about compliance with the application form by third party providers and other online platforms were mentioned, especially given enforcement would sit with the agency that uses the platform, not the online platform provider itself.

Additional information on how to refer matters of non-compliance to the RTA was also noted, including publication of a list of penalty provisions requested at a working group meeting in February. An increase in investigations received in recent months was seen as encouraging. It provides the RTA with an opportunity to intervene at an earlier stage to ensure that people are aware of their obligations and to address repeat offenders.

It was acknowledged that some tenants may still be observing non-compliance with repairs and minimum housing standards or with rent increases and not referring these matters to the RTA for investigation due to concerns about retaliatory action in the current market. The ability to anonymously report an advertised rental property that does not appear to meet minimum standards or where rent is not advertised/offered at a fixed price was noted.

Communication and education

The third working group has a focus on improved communication and education with tenants/residents and property managers/owners. The meeting on 26 June was attended by representatives from:

• REIQ
• Q Shelter
• POAQ
• TQ
• Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland (ECCQ)
• TASC National

Reletting costs and break lease fees were noted by participants, with mixed messaging over the application of costs depending on when the tenancy agreement started. There was mention of tenants being asked to pay the maximum break lease cost up front before the property could be advertised.

Clarification was provided on cost calculation depending on whether agreements were entered into before or after 30 September 2024. A podcast with examples about the calculations and reasonable costs was noted, along with positive feedback on the ease of use of the RTA’s reletting cost calculator.

Participants discussed potential opportunities to increase access to multilingual resources, including information on shared tenancy arrangements and key tenancy resources. The value of providing tenancy information to community service providers in regional areas was acknowledged, as these organisations may be currently supporting tenants with other services.

There was feedback on tenants continuing to raise issues with excessive rent increases and the need to respond to tenancy renewals up to four months before the end date of their tenancy. Participants noted that in situations where tenants are waiting on work contracts or future living arrangements to be confirmed, they are feeling under pressure to extend the tenancy given limited options for alternate accommodation.

Both working groups discussed the RTA’s new Instagram platform targeting tenants, which has attracted over 4,000 followers since being launched in March. Participants suggested topics for future posts and provided positive feedback on a recent smoke alarm post which engaged audiences with humour.

More information about the stakeholder working groups

The stakeholder working groups were initiated by the RTA following the release of the RTA’s Stakeholder engagement framework in September 2024. The framework was developed in consultation with stakeholders to address the diverse needs and perspectives of the Queensland rental sector and improve the way the RTA engages with stakeholders.

Terms of Reference for the working groups are available, which outline the purpose of the working groups, stakeholder participation, roles and responsibilities, and the 2025 meeting schedule. Stakeholders can express interest in the working groups or provide feedback on the RTA’s Stakeholder engagement framework 2024–26 by completing this short stakeholder survey.