Queensland Solar Rebates For Landlords

January 22, 2026 Edward Dever

The Queensland Government recently introduced incentives for landlords to adopt solar power on their investment properties.

The Supercharged Solar for Renters program provides eligible landlords with rebates of up to $3,500 to install solar photovoltaic (PV) systems on their rental properties across Queensland.

But read the fine print.

The rebate varies between $2,500 and $3,500 depending on the solar system capacity installed, with the rebate capped at the lesser of the cost of the system and the applicable rebate.

The rebate only applies to individuals who are residents of Australia and own an eligible residence.

This would seem to exclude landlords who hold their properties using vehicles such as companies, trusts or SMSFs. Also excluded are Australian and foreign non-residents.

The residence must be a class 1a building in Queensland (or a secondary building such as a granny flat), individually metered and subject to an eligible lease. Among the excluded types of buildings are larger class 2 apartment buildings. The maximum rent is $1,000 per week.

Tenant consent is required and, if applicable, written strata approval.

At the time of the final rebate application, the lease must have a remaining term of not less than eight months. A new lease must have been entered into after conditional rebate approval and contain terms dealing with cleaning and maintenance of the solar system and how solar energy will be charged and apportioned.

To ensure tenants benefit from electricity savings, rent cannot be increased under the lease at the time of final rebate approval unless the lease at the time of the conditional approval contained a rent increase clause.

Landlords will need to ensure they comply with the lease timings under the rebate rules. Difficulties may also arise where a tenant leaves during the rebate approval process. At a minimum, a new tenant consent and lease may need to be submitted.

A landlord may apply for rebates in relation to a maximum of three properties.

There is currently no sunset date for the rebate program. However funding is limited to $26.3m with a program target of approx. 6,500 properties.

Supercharged Solar For Renters Rebate

January 2026

The content of this publication is intended to provide a general overview on matters which may be of interest. It is not intended to be comprehensive. It does not constitute advice in relation to particular circumstances nor does it constitute the provision of legal services, legal advice or financial product advice.

Brisbane City Council Prepares To Go Nuclear On Short-Stay Accommodation

December 17, 2025 Edward Dever

Brisbane City Council plans to introduce a ban on certain owners in low density suburbs from leasing their property on short-stay platforms such as Airbnb and Stayz. A three-strike rule will apply to permits issued for short-term accommodation.

Owners in low or low-medium zoned areas will need to get an appropriate development approval or cease operating as short-stay accommodation. Council is expected to write to almost 500 home owners operating as short-stay providers to inform them they do not have or are unlikely to receive the relevant planning approvals.

Failure to obtain a permit could lead to fines of more than $140,000. As part of the permit changes, operators will need to nominate a 24-hour contact to respond to complaints within an hour and report back to the council within a day. Operators who get three warnings from the council over a three-year period will have their permit cancelled.

It is not clear if the rates surcharge applicable to short-stay accommodation will continue.

Council will also continue to advocate changes to the State’s body corporate laws to give apartment owners more power to limit short-term rentals in their buildings.

Public consultation will continue until 16 February 2026.

Brisbane City Council announces crackdown on short-stay accommodation in residential areas

Proposed Short Stay Accommodation Local Law 2025

December 2025

Employment Rejection Letters - It's All In The Timing

October 20, 2025 Edward Dever

As a student, some work experience is useful for the resume. Back in 1987, while studying Law and the Securities Institute's Diploma of Applied Finance and Investment, and with an Economics degree under my belt, I applied to numerous businesses for some work experience over the summer break. I adopted the age-old tactic of applying to as many businesses as you can to see who responds.

With an interest in finance, I applied to Rothwells Limited, the merchant bank run by the late Laurie Connell and also Tricontinental Corporation. Students of Australian business history will recall that both these companies were consumed by their losses and bad debts in the aftermath of the 1987 stock market crash. Rothwells collapsed in 1988 following the withdrawal of life support by the WA Government and the late Alan Bond's Bond Corporation. Tricontinental collapsed in 1990 due to its disastrous loan book, including loans to the late Christopher Skase's Qintex Group. Somewhere, I also have a work experience rejection letter from Qintex. (I must have been aiming for the future insolvency trifecta!)

The date of the rejection letters is interesting. Tricontinental's letter is dated 19 October 1987. That night, the US stock market crashed. Rothwells's letter is dated 20 October 1987. Kind of the State Manager to take time out from the Australian stock market imploding around him to sign my rejection letter.

In the end, I spent a couple of weeks in late 1987 doing work experience with the law firm where I later completed Articles of Clerkship before being admitted as a Solicitor.

An amusing anecdote on the 38th anniversary of the 1987 stock market crash.

October 2025

Privacy - A Side Order Of Medical Records With Your Crispy Crepe

August 15, 2025 Edward Dever

In a significant privacy breach, an unnamed major private hospital in Thailand has been fined Bt 1.2 million after patient paper records were found to be used as snack packets.

Document disposal was outsourced to a third party which failed to properly dispose of the documents. They were "leaked" from the small business owner's home and used as packets for a popular street food crispy crepe known as khanom Tokyo. It was reported that over 1,000 files were leaked. The disposal company also received a small fine.

The privacy breach is reminiscent of my early days in Bangkok where a similar breach occurred with a major international law firm.

Their draft documents, which presumably should have been shredded or otherwise destroyed, turned up wrapped around takeaway chicken and rice dishes from a small restaurant behind my office building. It was only a page at a time so not particularly revealing but a significant breach of client confidentiality nonetheless.

Hospital fined after patient files used as snack bags

August 2025

Queensland Election Results - Another Nail In The Rent Cap Coffin

November 6, 2024 Edward Dever

The ousting of the Miles ALP government in Qld at the recent State election makes the prospect of residential property rent freezes and caps in Qld more remote.

In the lead up to the State election, Ch 9 News reported that the now former Qld Government was considering ACT style inflation-linked rent controls. Former Premier Miles said he would have more to say on the issue as the election campaign continued. Nothing seemed to come of this.

At the first Leaders’ debate, the LNP ruled out introducing rent caps. The ALP took a similar stance, making former Premier Miles’ other comments somewhat confusing.

Previously, in June 2024, the Qld Department of Housing, Local Government, Planning and Public Works stated that it believed forms of rent control are generally ineffective.

During the 57th Qld Parliament, The Greens twice attempted to introduce rent control legislation, in each case the relevant Committee recommended against its introduction and the Bills were scrapped.

The Greens were apparently initially targeting 10 seats during the State election campaign . The results leave them with one, and possibly, two seats. One of the seats in doubt is South Brisbane held by Greens MP Amy MacMahon. Counting is still underway. Ms MacMahon introduced the two previous Rent Cap Bills and the loss of South Brisbane to the ALP would remove The Greens’ most outspoken rent cap spokesperson in Qld Parliament.

Federally, even The Greens housing spokesman Max Chandler-Mather is watering down their demands and is no longer insisting on a national rent freeze:

“We don’t need a freeze on rent increases like we’ve said … we could negotiate on some sort of cap to limit the amount rents go up,” he said.

In the lead up to the 2025 Federal election, it is likely that The Greens will continue to campaign on rent caps. Any rent control legislation would, however, need to be passed by the Qld Parliament and the election of the LNP in Qld indicates that passing any such legislation would be a tough sell.

Report No. 7, 57th Parliament, Housing, Big Build and Manufacturing Committee, May 2024

November 2024

Gold Coast City Council Taxes Views

August 4, 2024 Edward Dever

In a move reminiscent of the window tax applied in England between 1696 and 1851 (as well as similar taxes in France and Scotland), Gold Coast City Council has introduced higher rates charges for owner occupied apartments on higher floors.

Dubbed the 'view tax', owner occupied apartments will be levied higher rates depending on the floor level.

Apartments above the 5th floor will be subject to a rates surcharge starting at 10-20% between floors 5-10 up to 40-50% for those above the 40th floor.

Council justifies the increased charges on the basis of charging owners fairly based on the effect that unit size and floor level has on a property’s value.

In simple terms, Council is implementing a wealth tax - taxing those residents it deems able to afford higher rates. This is similar to the window tax. It was designed to reflect a property owner's wealth as glass was apparently considered a luxury. It led to owners bricking up their windows to minimise the tax. Of course, as it is based on the floor level and not the view, Gold Coast residents will find it harder to avoid the rate increase.

Gold Coast high-rise apartment owners hit with 'view tax' as council raises rates

August 2024

United States Plans Nationwide Rent Controls - With A Catch

July 17, 2024 Edward Dever

US President Joe Biden has announced a plan ahead of the 2024 US Election to cap rent increases across the nation at five per cent per annum.

On 16 July 2024, the Biden-Harris Administration called on Congress to pass legislation giving corporate landlords a choice to either cap rent increases on existing units at five per cent or risk losing current valuable federal tax breaks.

The proposal would apply during 2024 and the following two years but would only apply to corporate landlords who own at least 50 units of housing stock. Over 20 million units of rental housing would be affected by the proposal. An exception would apply to new construction and substantial renovation or rehabilitation.

Failure to comply would see these landlords unable to take advantage of faster depreciation write-offs available to owners of rental housing.

It seems unlikely Congress will get on board with the rent control proposal, particularly in the run up to the 2024 Election in November. (As an aside, former President Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner's somewhat controversial family group controls 20,000 multi-family apartments and would be caught by President Biden's proposal.)

The Australian Greens will no doubt pick up on this proposal. Their plans to date have not included a minimum rental housing ownership threshold before their controls kick in. Their plan also has no sunset date - two years of rent freezes followed by a maximum two per cent increase every two years thereafter. The Federal government has repeatedly distanced itself from the Greens proposal. The Queensland government has also shut the door on rent controls - for now.

President Biden Announces Major New Actions to Lower Housing Costs by Limiting Rent Increases and Building More Homes

July 2024

Queensland Government Shuts The Door On Rent Controls - For Now

May 20, 2024 Edward Dever

On 10 May 2024, the Housing, Big Build and Manufacturing Committee released its report on the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024.

One of the more interesting matters in the Report is a statement that the Department of Housing, Local Government, Planning and Public Works believes forms of rent control are generally ineffective.

The Report (on page 20) states:

"the department noted that economic research has identified that rent price controls, such as restricting or limiting the amount rent can be increased by, are generally ineffective at improving rental affordability and can have other negative effects, such as reducing the quality of rental stock and reducing renter mobility. They noted that the best way to address rental affordability is by increasing housing supply."

The Greens continue to press the Federal Government to introduce a form of rent freeze followed by rent caps.

As recent as 16 May, Greens MP Max Chandler-Mather, commenting on Twitter/X about PM Albanese's move to evict his tenant ahead of a likely property sale, stated that "[i]f the Prime Minister wanted to treat renters fairly, he would coordinate a freeze and cap on rent increases". The Greens are unlikely to drop rent controls as part of their platform ahead of the next Federal election.

The Committee concluded that the Government's Bill should be passed although it noted a number of areas where the Department needed to do more homework.

These include:

- the time frame for the retention of tenant records

- wider consultation on a portable bond scheme

- the documentation needed for utility bills payable by tenants

- the prohibition of accepting more than four weeks rent in advance, and

- disclosure in leases of the last rent increase as it applies to newly purchased properties.

The Bill, when enacted, will restrict residential property rent increases to once every 12 months and apply the restriction to the property rather than the lease.

It will also legislate that a landlord cannot act unreasonably in refusing a tenant’s request to attach a fixture or make structural changes to the premises either relating to safety, security and accessibility, or for personalisation purposes. Tenants may seek recourse through QCAT if denied approval. This also applies to modifications related to strata common property with strict timeframes for strata approval.

Over time, we will see if some of these provisions act as a further disincentive to residential rental property investment in Queensland.

UPDATE - The Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024 was passed by Parliament on 23 May 2024.

Report No. 7, 57th Parliament Housing, Big Build and Manufacturing Committee May 2024

May 2024

Queensland Government Shelves Plans To Amend Property Valuation Laws

May 9, 2024 Edward Dever

Last week, the Queensland Government shelved proposed land valuation amendments under the Land Valuation Amendment Bill 2023.

Resources Minister Scott Stewart pulled the proposed amendments for further consultation and revision, a process which should push out any progress beyond the October 2024 State election. It is not clear whether a future LNP Government (if elected) will proceed with the amendments.

Much of the stakeholder feedback on the Bill centred on the introduction of binding Valuer-General guidelines for valuations with concern raised that there would be no prior consultation and future guidelines could enhance property values resulting in higher land taxes and Council rates.

Also of concern was the proposal to remove the $750,000 threshold which requires a person objecting to a valuation to advise the Valuer-General of the valuation sought. This would require all landowners to state the valuation sought in their objection and would increase the costs of lodging an objection.

Changes to the definition of “unencumbered” were also considered controversial, resulting in uncertainty over how land is to be valued.

Qld land valuation laws shelved by government following input from property industry

May 2024

Further Proposed Changes to Queensland Residential Tenancy Legislation

April 2, 2024 Edward Dever

On 21 March 2024, the Queensland Government introduced the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024.

The Bill’s purpose is to further strengthen tenants’ rights and stabilise rents in the private rental market.

The proposed amendments include:

- adopting a standard rental application form (as yet only partially specified) which limits the information a tenant need provide.

- applying the 12 month rent increase restriction to the property rather than the lease, regardless of a change in property ownership. Lease breaks may lead to rent increases during future lease terms rather than at the commencement of the lease term.

- requiring leases to state the date of last rent increase, with tenants permitted to request evidence of such increase. Existing leases are exempt.

- prohibiting rent bidding, including accepting an unsolicited offer higher than advertised.

- capping reletting costs in the event of a lease break.

- legislating that a landlord cannot act unreasonably in refusing a tenant’s request to attach a fixture or make structural changes to the premises relating to safety, security and accessibility. Tenants may seek recourse through QCAT if denied approval.

- capping rent in advance payments to a maximum of 4 weeks rent - the amendment changes the prohibition on requiring an advance payment to accepting an advance payment. This may necessitate refunds in certain circumstances to prevent breaches although perhaps less problematic with periodic payment arrangements.

- adding new time limits for the provision of water service charges payable by a tenant.

One of the Bill’s stated aims is to improve the rental experience for Queensland renters and property owners. Some landlords may contend that the seemingly endless legislative amendments are having the opposite effect. Agents are also facing more compliance tasks and complicated leasing arrangements.

The deadline for submissions on the Bill is 10 April 2024.

RTA - Have your say on new rental law reforms

April 2024