Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation (Rent Freeze) Amendment Bill 2022* (Qld)

An Act to amend the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008 for particular purposes The Parliament of Queensland enacts—

1 Short title This Act may be cited as the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation (Rent Freeze) Amendment Act 2022.

2 Act amended This Act amends the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008.

3 Amendment of s 57 (Premises must be offered for rent at a fixed amount) Section 57(1)— insert— Note— See sections 82B and 82D for the maximum rent payable for a residential tenancy of premises.

4 Insertion of new ch 2 , pt 2 , div 1AA Chapter 2, part 2— insert—

Division 1AA Maximum rent payable for residential tenancies

82A Meaning of 2-year rent freeze period The 2-year rent freeze period is the period of 2 years that starts on the day of commencement.

82B Two-year rent freeze (1) The maximum amount of rent payable (the maximum rent payable) for a residential tenancy for premises during the 2-year rent freeze period is— (a) the amount of rent payable under a residential tenancy agreement for the premises on 1 August 2022; or (b) if the premises were not let under a residential tenancy agreement on 1 August 2022, the highest of the following amounts— (i) the amount of rent payable for the premises on the last day the premises were let under a residential tenancy after 1 August 2021; (ii) the amount of rent stated in an offer of a residential tenancy for the premises by the lessor or lessor's agent in an advertisement or other public offer published after 1 August 2022; (iii) the amount of rent for the premises worked out under section 82C. (2) During the 2-year rent freeze period, a lessor or lessor's agent must not— (a) require payment of, or take, an amount for rent for a residential tenancy of premises that is more than the maximum rent payable for the tenancy; or (b) offer a residential tenancy for premises for an amount of rent that is more than the maximum rent payable for the tenancy; or (c) for residential premises that have been let under a residential tenancy agreement at any time on or after 1 August 2022—give, or offer to give, the right of occupancy for the premises under a short-term letting agreement for an amount of rent that is more than the maximum rent payable for a residential tenancy of the premises. Maximum penalty—50 penalty units. (3) In this section— short-term letting agreement means an agreement— (a) under which the right to occupy residential premises is given on a short-term basis, including, for example, for holiday purposes; and (b) that is not a residential tenancy agreement to which this Act applies.