onlytherent

Queensland

At least two ways to pay rent, one of which must not exceed reasonable transactional costs and must be reasonably accessible - and any financial benefit the agent receives from a payment method must be disclosed.

What the law requires

The lessor or lessor’s agent must ensure— (a) the residential tenancy agreement states at least 2 ways for the tenant to pay the rent; and (b) at least 1 of the ways … (i) does not incur any cost to the tenant in addition to bank fees or other account fees usually payable for the tenant’s transactions; and (ii) is reasonably available to the tenant.

LegislationResidential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008 (Qld), s 83(2) · as in force

Section 86 provides that, where a tenant pays electronically, payment is taken to be received on the day the tenant effects the transaction - relevant if changing details cause a payment to go astray.

What cannot be charged

The required fee-free option must not exceed reasonable transactional costs - that is, costs beyond the ordinary bank fees you would pay anyway.

One of these options must not exceed reasonable transactional costs (costs in addition to standard bank transaction fees), and it must be reasonably accessible to the tenant/resident.

Regulator guidanceResidential Tenancies Authority · Rent and other bills

Disclosure of financial benefits

If an agent or owner benefits financially from a particular payment method, that must be declared. This is directly relevant to paid platforms.

… rental property owners and property managers are required to declare any financial benefits they receive from a particular rent payment method.

Policy statementQueensland Department of Housing · Rental law changes

What about inconvenient alternatives?

Queensland’s reforms were expressly aimed at convenience as well as cost, and the RTA treats “reasonably accessible” as a practical question assessed case by case.

… renters must be offered a fee-free option to pay rent that can be easily accessed.

Policy statementQueensland Department of Housing · Rental law changes

RTA podcast: what “reasonably available” means

Previously, renters may have been required to pay rent using payment options that either weren’t convenient or incurred costs in addition to bank fees or other account fees that are usually payable for transactions.

Policy statementDepartment of Housing, “Fairer fees and charges” (archived 2025) · Wayback Machine

How to dispute it

Start with the written request. If that fails, contact the Residential Tenancies Authority on 1300 366 311, and the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT).

Unresolved questions