Queensland eviction ban ends today; the only state to not extend

^{Photo by Jamie McGlinchey on Unsplash}

Queensland's six-month moratorium on residential evictions has ended today.

The Sunshine State is the only state in the nation not to extend the eviction ban which was put in place at the end of March in response to COVID lockdowns. 

Measures which have ended today in Queensland include: 

• Eviction moratoriums;
• Fixed-term agreement extensions for COVID-19 impacted tenants;
• Ending agreement provisions that prevent property owners ending tenancies with COVID-19 impacted tenants without grounds and provide additional grounds for parties to end tenancies; and
• Adjusted rent and bond processes that support parties to negotiate arrangements to manage COVID-19 impacts on their tenancies

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Protections that continue to be in place include provisions allowing tenants experiencing domestic and family violence to end their tenancies quickly and protections for tenants against being listed in a tenancy database for rent arrears caused by COVID-19 impacts.

Queensland Minister for Housing Mick de Brenni was contacted for comment. 

Chief executive of Tenants Queensland Penny Carr told Savings.com.au she was at a loss as to why the residential eviction ban hadn't been extended but the moratorium on commercial evictions had. 

"We’ve been mainly focused on our advice work and supporting renters out there and trying to raise that issue with the government, but we don’t know why they made that decision," Ms Carr said. 

Ms Carr said many people would now be at risk of homelessness and urged those struggling to contact her organisation. 

"We know people who will face eviction proceedings straightaway and many of them will struggle to find another affordable and appropriate property," she said. 

"It’s a pretty tough time for people in the lead up to Christmas to be facing this issue.

"If anyone needs advice, contact us through our free advice service on 1300 744 263." 

"Now is the time to start transitioning away from the eviction moratorium"

Chief executive of the Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ) Antonia Mercorella, told Savings.com.au it made sense for the eviction ban to now end. 

"There will be a number of tenant protections that will remain ongoing until the end of the year, so tenants haven't been left high and dry," Ms Mercorella said.

"There are a range of important mechanisms and protections that will remain." 

Ms Mercorella said just as tenants had been impacted by COVID-19, so too had property owners. 

"We've seen property owners who have lost their jobs, we've seen property owners who have been unable to make their financial obligations connected to the property," she said. 

"I understand the concern about tenants having to go back to meeting their normal rental repayments, but that's also got to be assessed against the fact that there will also be property owners who have an obligation to keep meeting their financial obligations otherwise ultimately, they lose the property too."

Commercial eviction moratorium extended

The Palaszczuk Government announced two weeks ago the moratorium on evictions for commercial leaseholders has been extended to the end of 2020.

Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Yvette D'Ath said the extended moratorium would be a shot in the arm for Queensland jobs and the economy.

“This extension is about giving businesses, and the thousands of workers they employ, the certainty they need in these challenging times," she said. 

“It’s about supporting jobs and keeping people in work as Queensland builds towards economic recovery.”

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