Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation (Rent Freeze) Amendment Bill 2022
Bill Story
The journey of this bill through Parliament, including debate and recorded votes.
Referred to Community Support and Services Committee
Introduced the bill as a Greens private member's bill to freeze rents for 24 months to address Queensland's housing emergency, with rents to be capped at 2% increases every two years thereafter.
“Today I am introducing a bill for an emergency rent freeze over the next 24 months. Labor has let this become a housing emergency.”— 2022-08-31View Hansard
Plain English Summary
Overview
This private member's bill proposed a two-year freeze on all residential rents in Queensland at August 2022 levels, with ongoing caps of 2% every two years thereafter. It responded to record rent increases (over 20% annually in Brisbane) and near-zero vacancy rates across the state. Note: This bill was discharged and did not become law.
Who it affects
Renters would have had rent frozen then tightly capped. Landlords would have been prohibited from increasing rent, with $7,187 fines for non-compliance. The Residential Tenancies Authority would maintain a new public rent register.
Key changes
- Two-year rent freeze at 1 August 2022 levels for all residential tenancies
- After freeze period, rent increases permanently capped at 2% every two years
- New public register of rents maintained by Residential Tenancies Authority
- Properties not rented in previous 12 months priced at median rent for comparable properties in same postcode
- Penalties of $7,187 (50 penalty units) for landlords who breach the freeze or cap
- Landlords prohibited from moving rental properties to short-term accommodation market during freeze