Rent Increases in Brisbane: Notice Periods, Frequency Limits and What Counts as Excessive

If you're renting in Brisbane, a rent increase is only valid if it follows a specific set of rules set out in the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act, and administered by the Residential Tenancies Authority (RTA). These rules apply the same way across every Brisbane suburb — there's no separate council-level rule on top of them — and cover how often rent can go up, how much written notice you must be given, and what happens if you think the new figure is unreasonable. This guide sets out exactly what applies, with no interpretation beyond what the RTA publishes.

The core rule: once every 12 months, per property

Rent can only be increased once every 12 months. Since 6 June 2024, this limit is tied to the property or room itself, not the tenancy agreement or the tenant. That means:

• A new tenant moving in does not reset the clock.
• A new tenancy agreement does not reset the clock.
• A change of property manager or a change of owner does not reset the clock.

If the last rent increase for that property took effect nine months ago, the current tenant — even if they only moved in last week — cannot be given a valid increase for another three months. Increasing rent within the 12-month window is an offence under the Act.

Notice periods

The minimum written notice a property manager or owner must give depends on the type of agreement:

Verbal notice of a rent increase is not valid under either type of agreement.

Fixed-term agreements

Rent cannot be increased during a fixed-term agreement unless all of the following are true:

1. The tenancy agreement itself states that rent will be increased.
2. The agreement states the new amount, or how it will be calculated.
3. The property manager/owner gives the required written notice (2 months for general tenancies, 4 weeks for rooming accommodation).
4. At least 12 months have passed since the current rent amount became payable.

Even where a fixed-term agreement includes an increase clause, the increase does not take effect automatically. The property manager/owner must still issue a separate written notice stating the new amount and the date it starts.

Periodic (month-to-month) agreements

For a periodic agreement, rent can be increased once at least 12 months have passed since the current rent amount became payable, provided the property manager/owner gives:

• at least 2 months' written notice for general tenancies, or
• at least 4 weeks' written notice for rooming accommodation.

Signing a new agreement at renewal

A property manager/owner and tenant can agree to a new rent amount when signing a new fixed-term agreement at the end of the current one. In this case, no separate notice is required — but it must still be at least 12 months since the last rent increase.

If no new agreement is signed, the tenancy automatically becomes periodic, on the same terms as the expired fixed-term agreement, and the standard periodic notice rules above apply to any future increase. See our guide to ending a tenancy in Brisbane for what happens if you decide not to renew at all.

What must be disclosed in writing

The date of the last rent increase for the property must be stated in the tenancy agreement itself (Form 18a for houses/units, Form 18b for moveable dwellings, or Form R18 for rooming accommodation). This is what allows a tenant to independently check whether 12 months have genuinely passed.

Note: rent increase requirements do not apply to exempt property managers/owners or exempt providers, as defined in the Act.

If you think an increase is excessive

1. Raise it directly with the property manager or owner first.
2. Apply for RTA dispute resolution — this is free, and available once the new rent has taken effect under a signed agreement.
3. Apply to QCAT (Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal) if the matter isn't resolved through RTA dispute resolution.

Our guide to RTA dispute resolution and QCAT covers this two-stage process in full, including what evidence to bring.

When QCAT considers whether an increase is excessive, it looks at:

• the range of market rents usually charged for comparable properties
• the difference between the proposed and current rent
• the state of repair of the property
• the length of the tenancy
• how long it has been since the last rent increase (if any)
• anything else QCAT considers relevant.

Bond increases that follow a rent increase

A rent increase can trigger a bond increase, but only under these conditions:

• At least 11 months must have passed since the last bond increase, or since the start of the tenancy.
• The property manager/owner must give at least 1 month's written notice of the bond increase.
• Any extra bond must be lodged with the RTA using a Bond Lodgement (Form 2).

The maximum bond that can be taken remains 4 weeks' rent, regardless of the weekly rent amount. If a bond increase itself becomes disputed, our guide to bond disputes in Brisbane explains how the RTA and QCAT roles work.

References

• RTA — Rent and other bills
• RTA — Rent

This guide summarises rules published by the Residential Tenancies Authority (RTA) at the time of writing. Live in Brisbane is an independent project and is not affiliated with the RTA, the Queensland Government, or the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal. For advice on your specific situation, contact the RTA directly on 1300 366 311 or visit rta.qld.gov.au.