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Moving to Brisbane

Renting in Brisbane: Bonds, the RTA and Your First Lease (2026)

By Move to Brisbane team. Published 7 November 2026.

Plain cardboard moving boxes stacked on the timber verandah of a weatherboard house with gum trees behind

Renting in Brisbane runs on Queensland law, not council rules. Houses and units are rented under the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008, and bonds are lodged with the Residential Tenancies Authority (the RTA). Several rules changed in 2024 and 2025, so older advice may be out of date.

For the rest of the moving budget, see our breakdown of what it costs to move to Brisbane.

What you can be asked to pay before renting in Brisbane

A property manager or owner cannot charge you an application fee, says the RTA’s guide to choosing a rental property. Apart from a key deposit and a holding deposit, anything else they take has to count as part of the bond.

  • Key deposit: you may be asked for one to inspect a property. You get a receipt, and it must be refunded in full when the key comes back.
  • Holding deposit: only one can be taken for a property at a time. You must see the proposed agreement first. If no holding period is agreed, it is 48 hours.
  • Changing your mind: tell them within the holding period and the deposit must be refunded within 3 days. Once you sign, it becomes part of your bond.

The RTA’s rental law changes page lists a few more rules worth knowing. Rent bidding has been banned since 6 June 2024, so an agent can’t accept an offer above the advertised rent. At the start of a tenancy you can’t be asked for more than 1 month of rent in advance on a fixed term lease, or 2 weeks on a periodic one. Since 1 May 2025 agents must use a standard application form (Form 22) and give you at least 2 ways to apply.

How the bond works when renting in Brisbane

The maximum bond for a house, unit or room is 4 weeks rent, according to the RTA’s rental bond page. That cap covers every bond taken, whatever it is called, so a separate pet bond can’t push the total above 4 weeks. Taking more than the maximum is an offence.

Whoever takes your bond must give you a receipt and lodge it with the RTA within 10 days. Once the payment clears, the RTA sends an Acknowledgement of rental bond to everyone on the bond. Keep it, because it shows your bond number. If you and the manager agree, the bond can be paid in instalments, with the details recorded in writing.

Short on cash for the bond? The Department of Housing and Public Works offers a bond loan to eligible tenants. It is interest free and fee free, covers up to 4 weeks rent and must be repaid.

Signing your first lease when renting in Brisbane

A Queensland lease must be in writing and handed to you on or before the day you move in, and before you pay any money, says the RTA’s tenancy agreements page. It must come with the Pocket guide for tenants (Form 17a).

Before you sign, check that the agreement includes:

  • Dates: the start and end date, or a statement that it is periodic.
  • Rent: how much, and how you pay it.
  • Last rent increase: the date the rent was last raised, with a few exceptions such as exempt lessors.
  • Repairs: contact details for the nominated repairers.
  • Special terms: anything extra, such as who looks after the pool.

You must be offered at least 2 ways to pay rent, and one of them can’t cost more than reasonable transaction fees, says the RTA’s rent payments page. You don’t have to agree to a rent card. One more thing for new arrivals: the tenancy agreements page says the Act does not apply to holiday lettings, such as short-stay listings on Airbnb.

The entry condition report: your safety net when renting in Brisbane

The entry condition report (Form 1a for houses and units) records the state of the property on day one. The manager or owner must prepare it, sign it and give you a copy. You then have 7 days to add your comments and return it, counted from the day you moved in or the day you got the report, whichever is later.

Go room by room, note every mark and take photos. The RTA suggests testing windows, locks, taps, hot water, the oven, fans, lights, powerpoints, smoke alarms and the air conditioning. It also suggests writing down the meter readings. The manager must send you a copy of the completed report within 14 days.

The RTA gives an example. A manager claims part of the bond for marks on a bedroom wall. The tenant shows the marks were listed on the entry report, with date stamped photos, and nothing is deducted. QCAT can also use the report and photos as evidence in a dispute.

Rent increases when renting in Brisbane

Rent can’t go up unless at least 12 months have passed since the current rent became payable, says the RTA’s rent increases page. The 12 months is tied to the property, not to you. An increase before you moved in still counts, even if a different tenant or owner was involved.

  • Periodic lease: you need at least two months written notice.
  • Fixed term lease: rent can only rise during the term if the lease says so and states the new amount or how it will be worked out. At least 12 months must have passed since the last increase, and you still need a separate written notice giving at least two months.
  • Proof: you can ask in writing for evidence of the last increase, and it must be given within 14 days. Exempt lessors and properties rented for the first time are treated differently.
  • Too high: talk to the manager first, then use RTA dispute resolution. On an existing lease you can apply to QCAT within 30 days of receiving the notice, and on a fixed term lease, before it ends.

Your bond can rise with the rent, but only if at least 11 months have passed since the last bond increase or the start of the tenancy. You get at least one month to pay it.

Getting your bond back after renting in Brisbane

When you move out, either you or the manager can lodge a refund through the RTA’s Bond Refund Web Service. You will need a Queensland Digital Identity login, your bond number, the vacate date and an Australian bank account.

If the manager lodges the request online and refunds the whole bond to the tenants, it is paid out automatically. Otherwise everyone on the bond gets a Fast Track email and has 48 hours to respond. If everyone agrees, the bond can be refunded within hours. If not, a Notice of claim goes to anyone who did not agree, and they have 14 clear days to dispute it. If no one disputes it in that time, the refund is paid as first requested. A dispute goes to the RTA’s free dispute resolution service first. If that doesn’t settle it, the matter is referred to QCAT. A manager who makes a claim on your bond must give you supporting evidence within 14 days of lodging it.

If you are moving from interstate, our guide to transferring your licence and rego to Queensland covers the car. Still choosing a suburb? Start with our Brisbane City council page. Our flood risk guide shows where to look up an address.

Renting in Brisbane: frequently asked questions

Can an agent in Brisbane charge me to apply for a rental?

No. The RTA says a property manager or owner cannot charge a prospective tenant an application fee. A key deposit to inspect is allowed, but it must be refunded in full when you return the key.

Can I be asked for a pet bond on top of the normal bond?

Not above the cap. The RTA says the maximum applies to all bonds, whatever they are called and however many are taken. For a house or unit the total can’t exceed 4 weeks rent.

How much notice does a manager need to give before coming in?

The minimum entry notice period went from 24 hours to 48 hours on 1 May 2025, according to the RTA’s rental law changes page.

Sources for this renting in Brisbane guide

Facts on this page were checked on 7 November 2026.

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