Changes to Qld tenancy form ahead of rental reforms
The Real Estate Institute of Queensland has secured significant changes to the state’s standardised tenancy application form, following concerns about its original wording and insufficient consultation.
The Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ) has revised the tenancy application form as part of the final phase of Queensland’s stage two rental law reforms.
The updated form, which will take effect on 1 May, now incorporates key stakeholder feedback and addresses potential risks identified by the peak body.
The REIQ criticised the initial version of the form released weeks ago, citing issues with verification of identity (VOI) requirements and insufficient stakeholder input.
Following the REIQ’s intervention, the form was temporarily taken down from the Residential Tenancies Authority (RTA) website, while revisions were made in consultation with tenancy sector stakeholders.
Chief executive officer of REIQ, Antonia Mercorella, said Queensland’s Housing Minister, Sam O’Connor, acted swiftly with the peak body to address industry concerns, including issues centred around VOI.
“We highlighted that the initial version of the form could cause significant risk for property owners and their managers, as well as potentially undermining the prospects of success for applicants seeking to rent property in Queensland,” Mercorella said.
“We are grateful for the minister’s timely intervention and willingness to work with the REIQ and the residential tenancies sector to ensure that the final form is practical, fair and balanced.”
In response to the form’s issues, the organisation submitted 19 recommendations, all of which were adopted in the form’s new version.
Mercorella said the updated form now better reflects legislative requirements and practical industry needs, striking a balance between tenant privacy and the need for property managers to verify applicants’ identities and ensure tenant accountability.
“We are pleased to report that common sense has prevailed,” she said.
“The new form strikes the right balance – tenants have a right to privacy, but property investors also have a right to know who is renting their valuable investment property.”
The REIQ expressed confidence that property managers and landlords across Queensland would welcome the changes, noting their crucial role in handling tenancy applications.
“We trust the property managers we represent in all corners of Queensland will be relieved by the final version of the form, and we thank them for their ongoing engagement with us so we could effectively advocate on their behalf,” Mercorella said.
The new form is now available on the RTA website.