Queensland Rental Law Changes 2024–2026: What Property Managers Need to Know and Do Now

Queensland has been implementing one of the most substantial overhauls to residential tenancy legislation in the state's recent history. The Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2024 (RTRAAOLAA 2024) has introduced changes in stages, with major tranches commencing in September 2024 and May 2025, and the Residential Tenancies Authority (RTA) continuing to update its prescribed forms and guidance in response.

For property managers, these are not minor administrative tweaks. The reforms change how entries must be notified, how applications must be processed, what information can be collected, how bond evidence must be provided, and how tenancies near their end must be managed. Each change has practical implications for your daily workflows, your standard forms, and critically, how you approach condition reports and inspections.

This guide covers the changes that have come into effect since September 2024, with a focus on what Queensland property managers need to do differently in 2026. It is intended as a practical operational guide, not a legal opinion. For complex or borderline situations, consult a legal practitioner or contact the RTA directly at rta.qld.gov.au.

All references are to the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008 (QLD) (RTRAA 2008) as amended, and to RTA guidance current as of June 2026.

The September 2024 tranche of changes under the RTRAAOLAA 2024 introduced several obligations that have been in effect for over twelve months. If you haven't updated your processes to reflect these, you are already out of compliance.

Bond claim evidence within 14 days. When a property manager or owner makes a bond claim or disputes a tenant's bond refund request, they must now provide the tenant with supporting evidence — including the exit condition report, entry condition report, timestamped photographs, and invoices or quotes for each claimed item — within 14 days of lodging the claim or dispute. This obligation has fundamentally changed the end-of-tenancy timeline. Exit condition reports can no longer be completed days or weeks after the tenant vacates. They need to be ready the day of vacancy. See our QLD bond evidence requirements guide for the full requirements and how to structure your evidence package.

Two rent payment methods. Tenants must be offered at least two ways to pay rent, one of which must not incur more than standard bank charges and must be reasonably available to the tenant. Agencies that relied solely on BPAY or a specific payment platform need to ensure a second, accessible option is offered in the tenancy agreement.

Utility bills within four weeks. If the property manager or owner charges tenants for utilities (such as electricity, gas, or water), those bills must be provided to the tenant within four weeks of being issued. If a utility bill is not provided within that period, the tenant is not required to pay it. Agencies that invoice tenants for utilities in arrears need to tighten their billing cycle to stay within this window.

Reletting cost calculation updates. The formula for calculating reletting costs when a tenant breaks a fixed-term lease changed in September 2024. For agreements of up to three years, the amount payable is the lower of the specified reletting cost or the rent until a new tenant moves in. For agreements exceeding three years, the calculation is based on the remaining time on the agreement. Review your standard tenancy agreement language to ensure reletting costs are calculated correctly under the updated rules.

The single most operationally significant change for property managers came into effect on 1 May 2025: the minimum entry notice period for most non-routine entries increased from 24 hours to 48 hours.

Before 1 May 2025, a property manager or owner needed to give a minimum of 24 hours notice for most types of non-routine entry into a tenanted property. From 1 May 2025, most of these entry types now require 48 hours notice.

The entry types affected by the 48-hour requirement include: entering to carry out repairs or maintenance; entering to comply with smoke alarm requirements under the Fire and Rescue Service Act 1990; entering to comply with safety switch requirements under the Electrical Safety Act 2002; entering to inspect whether a significant breach of the agreement has been remedied; entering to show the premises to a prospective buyer or tenant; and entering to carry out a property valuation.

The entry type that is NOT affected — and this is important — is routine inspections. Routine inspections in Queensland still require a minimum of 7 days written notice using the RTA's Entry Notice Form 9, and are still capped at once per 3 months. The 48-hour change applies only to the non-routine entry types listed above.

For property managers, the practical impact is most significant around maintenance and smoke alarm entries. Under the old 24-hour rule, an urgent (but non-emergency) maintenance issue could be attended to within a day of giving notice. Now you need 48 hours. If a tradesperson is available tomorrow, the notice still needs to have been given 48 hours before entry — so today's notice means the day after tomorrow at the earliest.

For emergency entries (where there is immediate risk to health or safety, or an emergency involving the premises), no notice is required. This has not changed. The 48-hour rule applies to planned, non-emergency entries only.

The RTA's Entry Notice Form 9 applies to all entry types. Property managers should ensure their templated Form 9 notices specify the correct entry type and are issued with at least 48 hours lead time for all non-routine entries.

A new restriction on entry frequency was introduced from 1 May 2025. When either a property manager or owner issues a Notice to Leave (Form 12), or a tenant issues a Notice of Intention to Leave (Form 13), the property manager or owner cannot enter the property more than twice in any seven-day period while that notice remains in effect.

This restriction applies regardless of the reason for entry. If you have already entered twice in a seven-day period during a notice-to-leave period — for repairs, a smoke alarm check, a pre-exit inspection, or any other purpose — you cannot enter again until the next seven-day period begins, regardless of the urgency of the reason.

This is a significant constraint for end-of-tenancy workflows. In the final weeks of a tenancy, it is common to have multiple entry events: a routine pre-exit inspection, a trade entering to carry out repairs ordered during that inspection, a smoke alarm service, and possibly a showing to a prospective tenant. Under the new rules, all of these entries count toward the two-per-seven-day limit while a notice to leave is in effect.

Property managers need to plan end-of-tenancy entries more carefully than before. Coordinate trade entries to cluster within the available entry slots. Avoid scheduling routine pre-exit inspections in the same seven-day window as planned maintenance. If possible, complete any outstanding repairs before a Notice to Leave is issued or before the tenant issues their Notice of Intention to Leave, to avoid the entry frequency constraint applying to a longer period.

Note that the exit inspection itself — conducted after the tenant has vacated and returned all keys — is not subject to this restriction, because the tenancy has ended. The frequency limit applies while the notice is in effect and the tenant still occupies the property.

From 1 May 2025, property managers and owners must use the RTA's standardised rental application form (Form 22) for all general tenancy applications. Using your own agency's custom application form, or a third-party application template that does not meet the standardised form requirements, is no longer permissible.

The standardised form is designed to limit the information that can be requested from prospective tenants to what is genuinely necessary to assess their suitability: identification, income and employment information, and tenancy history. The form does not allow open-ended requests for information that goes beyond these categories.

Alongside adopting the standardised form, property managers must now provide prospective tenants with at least two ways to submit an application. At least one of those two methods must not be "restrictive" — meaning it should be a method that is readily accessible to most applicants, not locked behind a specific app or platform that not all applicants can reasonably use. For example, an agency that only accepts applications through a paid portal with a subscription fee, without also offering a direct-email or in-person option, would likely not comply.

For agencies that have been using their own application forms or platform-specific processes, this change requires updating your workflows and any pre-tenancy documentation. The RTA provides the Form 22 on its website at rta.qld.gov.au. Ensure that anyone in your agency who processes tenancy applications is using the current version of the form.

From a condition report perspective, the standardised application form is part of the broader tenancy documentation package. When a tenancy commences, the entry condition report (Form 1a) should be completed and provided to the tenant before or at key handover, as required by section 65 of the RTRAA 2008. The new application form process does not change those entry condition report obligations.

The RTRAAOLAA 2024 introduced new restrictions on the personal information that property managers and owners can collect, store, use, and disclose in connection with rental applications and tenancies. These provisions sit alongside the standardised application form requirements and are intended to prevent applicants from being required to provide information that is not relevant to assessing their suitability as a tenant.

Property managers cannot require applicants to provide information that goes beyond what is necessary for the application decision. The categories of permissible information broadly cover: proof of identity, income and employment details, rental history, and references. Requiring information that does not fall within these categories — for example, detailed personal financial statements beyond what is needed to verify income, information about family status, or sensitive personal characteristics — is no longer permissible.

For stored information: property managers must not retain personal information about an unsuccessful applicant beyond what is necessary, and must securely dispose of it. This creates a practical obligation to review data retention practices for your application records. Keeping a database of unsuccessful applicant information for extended periods without a clear operational need is now a compliance risk.

The RTA is the first point of contact for guidance on what these limits mean in practice. If your agency has not reviewed its information collection and retention practices since May 2025, this is an area that warrants a prompt internal audit.

From 1 May 2025, property managers must disclose to property owners any financial benefit they or their agency receive in connection with rent payments. This obligation is aimed at transparency around arrangements where an agent receives a benefit — such as a commission, referral fee, or other advantage — from a rent payment platform or processing service.

The disclosure requirement means that if your agency receives any kind of financial return from directing landlords or tenants to a particular rent payment system, bank account, or payment processing service, this must be disclosed to the owner. Undisclosed financial arrangements in connection with rental payments are now a compliance breach, not just an ethics concern.

For most agencies, the practical step is to review whether any commission, rebate, or benefit flows from any part of your rent payment processing — and to update your standard agency agreement to reflect and disclose any such arrangements. Where no such benefit exists, maintaining a record that this has been reviewed is good practice in the event of a complaint or audit.

Another change from 1 May 2025 is the formalisation of the process for tenants to request permission to install fixtures or make structural changes to a rental property. Under the RTRAAOLAA 2024 changes to the RTRAA 2008, tenants must now use an approved RTA form when making such requests. An informal written request — an email, a text message, or a letter — no longer satisfies the process requirements.

Once a tenant submits a valid request using the approved form, the property manager or owner must respond within 28 days. Failing to respond within 28 days can have legal consequences; under the amended Act, an unanswered request within the required timeframe may be treated as approved in some circumstances. Property managers should set a reminder system to ensure no fixture or structural change request is allowed to expire without a response.

The categories covered include both minor fixtures (such as picture hooks and shelving) and more significant structural changes (such as adding a garden shed or altering internal partitions). The distinction between what requires owner approval and what a tenant can do without approval is governed by the Act, and the approved form process applies to the categories that do require approval.

From a condition report perspective, fixtures installed with written approval should be noted on routine inspection reports during the tenancy. At exit, the exit condition report (Form 14a) should record whether approved fixtures have been removed as agreed or retained with the owner's consent, and the state they are in. Fixtures installed without approval are damage and can be claimed against the bond in the ordinary way.

Queensland's minimum housing standards — nine baseline conditions covering the physical habitability of rental properties — came into effect in two stages. They applied to new tenancies (including renewed agreements) from 1 September 2023, and they were extended to all existing tenancies from 1 September 2024. This means that as of September 2024, there are no Queensland residential tenancies that are exempt from these standards.

The nine standards cover: the premises and outbuildings being weatherproof and structurally sound; fixtures, fittings, and appliances in good repair and working order; functioning locks or latches on all external doors and windows that can be accessed from outside; premises free from vermin, damp, and mould; privacy window coverings in each bedroom; adequate plumbing and drainage including hot and cold water; a functional bathroom and toilet with reasonable privacy; a functioning cooktop if a kitchen or cooking facilities are provided; and plumbing and drainage for a washing machine if a laundry is provided.

The obligation to comply with these standards does not fall on the tenant. The property manager or owner is responsible for ensuring the premises meet the standards at the start of the tenancy and throughout the tenancy.

From a condition report perspective, this creates a practical obligation to document minimum standards compliance in entry condition reports. If a property does not meet one of the nine standards at entry — and the tenant notes this in Part 2 of Form 1a — the property manager or owner needs to take steps to remedy it, not simply record the deficiency and move on. Documenting a non-compliant item without remedying it does not constitute compliance.

For the full checklist of what each standard requires and how to assess it, see our QLD minimum housing standards checklist.

The reforms described above interact with condition report and inspection practice in several ways that are worth understanding together rather than in isolation.

The 14-day bond evidence rule compresses exit timelines. The most direct impact on condition reports is the September 2024 change requiring bond claim evidence to be provided to tenants within 14 days of making a claim. This means the exit inspection and Form 14a must be completed immediately after the tenant vacates — not days or weeks later. A thorough exit report, with timestamped photographs, completed on the day of vacancy is now the baseline standard, not an aspirational target. The entry Form 1a, exit Form 14a, and photograph records must be ready to produce within days.

Minimum housing standards belong in the entry condition report. When completing Form 1a at the start of a tenancy, documenting whether minimum housing standards are met for each relevant item provides a compliance record and creates a baseline for the exit comparison. If a standard was not met at entry and was remedied, document that the remedy was completed before the tenancy commenced. If a standard was met at entry but deteriorated during the tenancy, the entry and exit reports together support a claim that the deterioration occurred during the tenancy.

Fixture and structural change approvals need to be tracked. When a tenant installs an approved fixture, note it during the next routine inspection. At exit, Form 14a should record whether the fixture was removed and the wall or surface restored, or whether it was left by agreement. This creates a documented chain from approval to exit that prevents disputes about who installed something and whether they had permission.

Non-routine entry records matter for the 48-hour and frequency rules. With the entry notice period now at 48 hours for non-routine entries, and with frequency limits applying during notice-to-leave periods, keeping accurate records of when notice was given and when entry occurred is more important than ever. If a bond dispute or complaint references an unlawful entry, the quality of your entry records will determine whether you can demonstrate compliance.

If you haven't reviewed your processes since the September 2024 and May 2025 changes, the following is a practical starting point.

Entry notices: Update your template Entry Notice (Form 9) to reflect 48-hour lead times for all non-routine entries. Train your team that 48 hours applies from the time the notice is received, not from when it is sent. Build buffer into your scheduling to account for delivery times.

End-of-tenancy workflow: Rebuild your exit timeline around the 14-day bond evidence deadline. Exit inspections should be completed on the day of vacancy. Form 14a and photographs should be ready to produce the same day. Quotes or invoices for claimed items should be obtained within a week. Submit bond claims or respond to tenant refund requests promptly — do not wait.

Tenancy applications: Replace any custom or platform-specific application forms with the RTA's Form 22. Ensure you provide prospective tenants with at least two submission methods, one of which is accessible without a barrier (such as a platform subscription or login). Dispose of unsuccessful applicant information once it is no longer needed.

Minimum housing standards: At the start of each new tenancy, confirm compliance with all nine minimum housing standards before handover. Document compliance in the entry condition report. Address any deficiencies before the tenant takes possession.

Notice-to-leave entries: Once a Notice to Leave (Form 12) or Notice of Intention to Leave (Form 13) is in effect, track and count every entry against the two-per-seven-day limit. Coordinate maintenance, smoke alarm services, and pre-exit inspections to avoid exceeding the limit.

Fixture and structural change requests: Set a 28-day calendar reminder for every fixture or structural change request received. Do not allow them to lapse unanswered.

The common thread running through the 2024–2025 Queensland reforms — faster bond evidence timelines, minimum housing standards documentation, entry records, and fixture tracking — is that they all require better-organised, more immediately accessible property documentation.

ConditionHQ generates Form 1a-equivalent entry condition reports and Form 14a-equivalent exit condition reports at the time of inspection, with timestamped photographs embedded against the relevant room and item. For QLD property managers operating within the 14-day bond evidence timeline, having a complete, photo-documented report ready the moment the inspection ends is what makes that deadline achievable.

The entry-to-exit comparison feature directly addresses the minimum housing standards documentation obligation. When minimum housing standards items are recorded at entry, the exit comparison makes it immediately visible whether any standard that was met at entry has deteriorated during the tenancy — exactly the comparison that the RTA and QCAT expect.

For agencies managing the entry frequency limits during notice-to-leave periods, ConditionHQ's inspection scheduling records provide a timestamped log of when each entry was conducted and for what purpose, giving you a clear record to produce if the two-per-seven-day limit is ever questioned.

ConditionHQ offers a free tier with three reports per month for agencies wanting to evaluate the platform. The Pro plan ($59 per month) and Agency plan ($149 per month) provide unlimited reports and the full entry-to-exit comparison toolkit. Given the compressed evidence timelines now in place in Queensland, a condition report tool that generates a complete, properly formatted report at the time of inspection is no longer a convenience — it is a compliance tool.