QLD Queensland COVID-19 residential tenancy legislation

Tall Poppy syndrome. Many of you won't even be able to rent properties again as landlords demand the cream of renters.

In fact, like other LLs who I know, they're going to be eventually leaving their properties advertised (at current prices) and claim the tax expense when vacant.

The risk of ending up with an entitled millennial is too great.

 

Yep, if you can afford too sounds like the better choice..

 

Yes. This exactly. It is clearly a breach of contract and the State Government is also clearly not acting without bias. It will take years but the Labor government has made a rod for their own backs.
All they had to do was make up Landlord shortfalls. But instead they've chosen to keep their money but penalise landlords.

 

This is absolute worst case scenario. There’s still tribunal, still the expectation they’ll pay up to 30% of their income and the government handouts are generous while this 6 months has been mandated anyway. Totally agree this is awful but it’s not saying tenants no longer have to pay rent.

 

I think there is good hope that some of the big commercial landlords will take on the government in legal action which might set a precedent for residential.

 

There's 0 logic here even. They want to restrict evictions because moving in a pandemic is bad, but then they to cap break-lease fees at 1 week... because they do ... want to give tenants the option to move?

 

Where did we get the 30% figure from in this announcement though? Public housing tenants pay only 25% I think. And do you really think if the tenant paying even $1 rent would stop them not just eating or paying their electricity but say making their credit card payment, car payment or paying their internet or phone bill or whatever that the landlord would get priority over that? If tenant needs all their income for these things, then landlord will get zero.

Do you really think landlord will have any priority at all over tenants other requirements when we can't even expect the tenant explain why their financial situation warrants a reduction, because tenants rights privacy etc takes priority over any landlord "rights" and landlords potential financial ruin?

 

So has there been any actual legislation or draft legislation?

I'm actually super, super sceptical that it will work in the way these information sheets suggest.

It could be completely different in practice.

 

@abc_123 i can’t find where I read the 30% figure now, I thought it was in the Domain article (not that that is a reliable source anyway). You’re right, it needs to be in the announcement. I’m not sure where they will draw the line. But saying tenants can suddenly afford no rent at all when the government handouts are so generous? That’s a stretch. Fact is most landlords need to pay mortgages and even if they don’t, they have other expenses. The government can’t expect them to provide free rent and the announcement isn’t saying we need to provide free rent anyway.

 

Why sceptical? Because it seems unfair that they would do that?

It's not like it is an offhand remark. It is a detailed proposal.

 

It has happened before today. Paul Keating did it to me big time ...

Must be an ALP modus operandi?

 

Because I have extensive experience in dealing with tenancy amendments and policy announcements, and often they don't match up to how the legislation is drafted. There's generally not a small amount loopholes, mistakes, unintended consequences.

And that's on a normal round of law reform where its often a progress that takes years of research, consultation and drafting.

Now we have a version where it's done in record time, by overloaded public servants, no consultation or draft legislation being circulated.

And lastly, the subject matter is very, very complex - more than most people would realise - potentially interfering with civil liability in a pre-existing contract.

Yep I'd put a lot of money on a punt that this doesn't go in the way they think it will.

 

If I interpreted the proposal correctly there is still an opportunity to evict a tenant, if you are planning to prepare the property for sale or indeed it is listed for sale. Nowhere the proposal states how long the 'preparation/renovation' for sale might take. Also maybe after 'preparation' you might change your mind and not sell the property after all but list it for rent.

 

Why should they do that? They're not making up Qantas' shortfalls, or Marriott's shortfalls, or Caltex's shortfalls, or any number of other businesses. Property investing is first and foremost a business - you can't privatise the profits and socialise the losses. The downside is it's also a business focused on the trade of a basic societal need, which means sovereign risk should always be factored in.

During an emergency, you're likely to carry a higher burden than some other industries - at least you didn't have your entire income stream obliterated like gyms and nightclubs (some of which have already gone under since they're massive premises that still cost money when empty). Electricity suppliers and the like will also undoubtedly be carrying a much higher default rate and not be able to do anything about it too.

That said, it seems Banks and Landlord Insurers have got off pretty much scot-free. I have an issue with that. At least you'l get land tax refunds (that has been announced) though rates relief would probably be more beneficial there.

That really doesn't make sense at all. I guess it's to allow a family that recognises they can't afford a place but can reasonably get a cheaper place to do so?

No dice. The last published bill was on 17th March, and the Form 18e (because of course there's a form) says it's "subject to proposed legislative amendments". One hopes they don't repeat the Uber debacle.

 

But they're not saying Quantas must continue it's flights for free while still paying for it's fuel and staff costs either.

 

And now they just banned all inspections of occupied properties so what little chance do we have of offloading a property that can't be inspected and has a freeloader living in it

 

There's potentially a HUGE problem here- it wont affect a lot of people, but it's going to completely cripple some people who need to sell.

 

I think some of you guys needs to take some anti-hysteria medication .

It wasn’t that long ago people were posting things such as:

“... going on data from China/Italy/Sth Korea, we will required 840,000 ICU beds before this pandemic runs it's course ... so who is going to choose who gets treated and who gets sacrificed.”
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Utter hysteria.

At the moment, COVID-19 patients occupy 81 x ICU beds.

Calm down and stop jumping at shadows .

 

I'm not the slightest bit concerned about the actual virus?

 

I see that this is only in Victoria right now, but I am sure it is coming throughout