The Queensland Government is moving ahead with its suite of rental reforms, introducing legislation into Parliament, including changes for manufactured homes.
The reforms include limiting site rent increases to CPI or 3.5 per cent, banning rent reviews and streamlining the sales process for manufactured homes.
The reforms also include an opt-in buyback and site rent reduction scheme will be introduced for homes on the market for more than 12 months, limiting costs and giving residents certainty.
Park owners will be able to apply for QCAT in a circumstance where they feel these reforms will impact a park’s viability.
Minister for Housing, Local Government, Planning and Minister for Public Works Meaghan Scanlon said “these reforms will give cost of living certainty and make it easier and fairer for residents”.
The Property Council has condemned the new measures that will introduce rent caps across the critical manufactured home sector, along with increasing regulations that will only serve to drive up costs.
“This Bill sees us taking a backward step in boosting much needed supply and will only discourage investment in new manufactured home parks,” Queensland Executive Director Jess Caire said.
“The only way to drive down the cost of rents is to boost supply, not add more regulation which in turn drives out investment.
“Manufactured home parks bridge the gap between private rentals and home ownership in Queensland, and this bill is likely to deliver the opposite of the policy intent – that is to give consumers protection and ensure viability of these communities.
“At a time when Queenslanders are struggling to access a home due to record low supply, these changes are contrary to the governments focus to boost supply.
Ms Caire said the Bill would also reduce maintenance budgets, and result in some manufactured home parks becoming financially unviable.
“These communities rely on rents to keep the lights on, maintain communal facilities and deliver critical upgrades; and these changes put that at significant risk, Ms Caire said.
“Given the uncertain economic environment there has never been a more important time to provide industry with confidence to invest and give the Queenslanders who call these communities home certainty and security, Ms Caire explained.
The government also introduced the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024.
The Bill will make law a number of actions outlined in the government’s housing blueprint, including:
- Banning all forms of rent bidding
- Requiring bond claims to be supported by evidence
- Minimum 48 hours entry notice
- Setting up a prescribed form to be used to apply for a rental home, with any information collected to be handled securely
- Limiting reletting costs based on how long is left on a fixed term lease
- Giving renters a fee-free option to pay rent and choice about how they apply for a rental property.