REIQ slams state’s new standardised tenancy application form
The peak body has warned that upcoming changes to identity verification in the Queensland tenancy application process could create significant issues for property owners and their managers.
The Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ) has come out in strong opposition to the state’s new standardised tenancy application form, which “takes tenant privacy to the point of impracticality”.
This reform will be part of the Queensland government’s stage two rental reforms, taking effect on 1 May 2025, and requiring property managers in the state to use a standardised rental application form for general tenancies.
REIQ CEO, Antonia Mercorella, said that the most glaring issue with the proposed form was its wording around requirements surrounding verification of identity (VOI).
“The form positions VOI in such a way that it would have applicants believe they should exercise their right to refuse to provide proof of identity to support a tenancy application,” Mercorella said.
While Mercorella recognised the REIQ’s respect for privacy, she said it is in the best interests of rental applicants to provide proof of identification that aligns with property owner and community expectations.
“You can’t so much as open a library account to borrow a book without needing to show identification to confirm your identity,” Mercorella said.
“It is simply ludicrous to think a person should have the right to rent such a valuable asset without the need to prove they are in fact the person stated in the application form.”
Even with the new standardised application form, Mercorella said that the new laws still require applicants to consent to having copies of their ID retained, even if they only agree to have their ID sighted.
She said that the current wording in the standardised tenancy application may create problems for tenants in the application process by allowing them to refuse to provide documentation to verify their identity.
“By limiting the information that can be obtained to reasonably determine these matters puts all stakeholders at risk – the owner, the tenant and the property manager,” she remarked.
While Mercorella said that the REIQ supported the concept of a standardised tenancy application form when it was initially raised, she commented that “what has materialised is unacceptable”.
“As the real estate peak body, we were assured we would be consulted on the development of the application form, but it has been released with no consultation,” Mercorella said.
“The REIQ has now provided feedback – including its strong opposition to the current form – and we implore the government to revise the document before it’s too late,” she concluded.