 Did you know that Queensland tenancy laws are changing as of 1 October 2022? The Queensland Government passed the Housing Legislation Amendment Act 2021 in October 2021. There were four main topics of change – domestic and family violence, ending tenancies, renting with pets and minimum housing standards. Not all changes came into effect straight away and are being implemented in phases. The strength and domestic and family violence protections for tenants started in October last year and you can find more information on the process and the relevant forms on the RTA's website. The next phase of changes will commence from 1 October 2022 and includes new laws around ending tenancies, a framework to negotiate renting with pets, the introduction of repair orders and a few other amendments. What do these upcoming changes mean for you? For property managers, owners and tenants, you'll need to be aware of what's changing and understand how your tenancy rights and obligations will change and the RTA is here to help you navigate these changes. We will be providing information and resources in a variety of formats to help everyone understand the new laws. More information will be available via online webinars, podcasts, face-to-face events, quick guides, fact sheets and other resources on our website rta.qld.gov.au. The Residential Tenancies and Rimy Accommodation Act 2008, known as the RTA Act, outlines specific ways a tenancy can end and the minimum notice periods you are required to provide. As of 1 October 2022, the option for property managers and owners to end a tenancy with their grounds, meaning without providing a specific reason, will no longer be available and they must specify a reason from the expanded list of approved reasons to end a tenancy. Some of the new reasons include a fixed term tenancy is coming to an end, the property is being prepared for sale or is being sold with vacant possession or the owner or their relative is moving in, change of use for the property or the owner is doing significant repairs, renovations or demolition. For tenants, additional reasons have been added to end a tenancy including if the property is not in good repair or the owner has failed to comply with a repair order, if a co-tenant passes away or for residents in student accommodation if you are no longer a student and need to leave. There are also new rules around misrepresentation from the owner regarding the property and its inclusions and also retaliatory action taken by the owner. You can find out more details on the RTA's website. So what about the new PENT rules? The tenant will still need to seek the property owner's written permission to have a pet in the rental property as they do now. The RTRA Act does not specify rules around the application process for renting with pets for a prospective tenant. From 1 October, the new laws provide a framework for parties to negotiate renting with a pet. Property owners and managers will need to provide a specific reason as outlined in the legislation to refuse a pet request. Remember, you must adhere to local council laws around pets and for anyone renting in an apartment, unit or townhouse, you may also have body corporate bylaws to comply with. Owners can specify reasonable conditions as part of the pet approval, however, they cannot request a pet bond. To help tenants and property owners and managers comply with their new rights and responsibilities, the RTA will have a new form on the pet request and to help with the approval process, I led a template to assist the owners in responding to the pet requests. Under what are repair orders? The introduction of repair orders from 1 October 2022 will provide an additional pathway to ensure repairs are addressed in a timely manner. The RTA encourages both tenants and property managers and owners to continue discussion around repair maintenance and if needed to formalise these discussions through the breach process. If these existing options have not been successful in getting the necessary repairs addressed, tenants will be able to apply to the tribunal for a repair order that is attached to the property and it is the property owner's responsibility to undertake the repairs within a specified time. This will apply for both routine and emergency repairs. It is important to note that if a repair order is in effect and a new tenancy is entered into, the repair order must be disclosed to the new tenants on the new tenancy agreement. There are a few other amendments commencing from 1 October 2022, including a change to the timeframe the tenant has to return the entry condition report at the start of the tenancy. This has been extended from three days to seven days. The maximum value of an emergency repair is that a tenant can arrange for and authorised will increase from an equivalent of two weeks rent to four weeks rent. The meaning of an emergency repair is outlined in the legislation. A property manager will also have the ability to authorise those repairs on behalf of the property owner and deduct the cost of repairs from the rent payments before they disperse the funds. The introduction of minimum housing standards does not commence until 1 September 2023 for new tenancies and from 1 September 2024 for all tenancies. Property owners and managers will have time to ensure their rental properties meet these requirements and the RTA will also continue to support the sector with helpful resources and educational material on these changes. For a range of RTA quick guides, webinars, information and resources to help you understand the upcoming changes around ending tenancies, renting with pets and repair orders, please visit the RTA's website at rta.qld.gov.au. From 1 October 2022, the RTA forms on the RTA's website will also be updated. Please make sure you download and use the latest versions.