QCOSS welcomes the commencement of the Stage 2 Rental Law Reform process. Queensland’s current housing crisis has laid bare the vulnerabilities that exist in the rental market.

We welcome many of the proposals aimed towards enhancing tenants’ rights included in the Stage 2 Rental Law Reform Options Paper. This includes proposals in relation to installing modifications, making minor personalisation changes, balancing privacy and access, improving the rental bond process, and fairer fees and charges.

However, our view is the reforms should go further and include:

▪ restricting rent increases to fair and predictable limits
▪ removing Notices to Leave due to the end of a fixed term tenancy
▪ implementing minimum standards in relation to energy efficiency.

In the development of this submission, we have consulted closely with key QCOSS members and partners. The guidance, support and feedback we have received from Tenants Queensland, in particular, has been substantial. In the lead up to the consultation submission deadline, we worked with Tenants Queensland to host a webinar on these important reforms.

This webinar supported us to gain further feedback from the community services sector, and to support community sector organisations in their own engagement with this important consultation process.