A person with disability has the right to housing without being discriminated against because of their disability. Specifically, a tenant with a disability has the right to make reasonable alterations to the property in order to meet their needs. This can only be done if the alterations do not affect the structure of the premises or other premises, the tenant agrees to remove any alterations when they move out, and the tenant pays for the installation and removal of the alterations. Property agents and owners have the right to demand that any alterations made to the premises be removed at the expense of the tenant when they leave.

Tenants who have a guide, hearing or assistance dog because of an impairment cannot be asked to keep the dog elsewhere or to pay extra if the dog lives at the accommodation. However, the tenant may be liable for any damage caused by the dog.  Tenants with other assistance animals are also protected from discrimination.  If you are in public housing, the government may have an obligation to modify your property to meet your needs.

For more information on discrimination, see here.

The NDIS is an important part of breaking down barriers and enabling people with disabilities to chose where and with whom they live.  You might be eligible for Specialist Disability Accommodation, Supported Independent Living or Individualised Living Options. A Local Area Coordinator can help link you in to the NDIS or give you information about supports in your community.

You might need to change things to live safely and independently in your home.  You may be able to get modifications paid for by the Queensland government after an assessment by an occupational therapist.  You may also be able to get help with modifications through the NDIS.

Are you having trouble understanding and negotiating a rooming agreement because of your disability? You can nominate a person to help you (your representative).  This doesn’t have to go to court or be a formal agreement.  A property manager/owner is required to issue a copy of documents to our representative to help you understand.

Queensland law recognizes an adult’s right to control their own lives. People are presumed to have capacity to make decisions for themselves unless incapacity is established. More information on renting in a rooming accommodation if you have trouble understanding and making this kind of decision.

Some people find housing in boarding houses and supported accommodation.  Residential services must comply with standards for cleanliness, safety and security and respect your rights.  Free services are available if you’ve raised a complaint with your accommodation provider and the problem has not been resolved. You can contact the Department of Housing’s Regulatory Services Team directly, or get advice from Queensland Statewide Tenant Advice and Referral Service (QSTARS) or the Residential Tenancies Authority (RTA).

The Queensland government provides public housing for people on low incomes and special needs. Public housing includes apartments and houses which offer you secure affordable long-term rental accommodation.

Public housing eligibility criteria

The Queensland Government also has specific housing support for people with disability as well as housing support for people leaving a correctional centre.

You can contact your local Housing Service Centre where they will talk with you about your circumstances to find the housing option that will work best for you.

Once you have secured a property, sometimes there may be issues that put your tenancy in jeopardy. There are services available to ensure people are supported to manage any issues that arise with the aim of maintaining rental arrangements.

For those in private rentals, RentConnect can help people to identify tenancy issues, develop tenancy plans and work to improve people’s ability to maintain their tenancy in the future. You can access RentConnect by calling 74 68 and being connected to a Housing Service Centre which provides RentConnect assistance.

You may not need financial support, rather advice and guidance on what your tenancy rights and responsibilities are, resolve a tenancy issue, fill in tenancy forms or how a QCAT tenancy hearing works. For this type of assistance, Tenants Queensland’s Queensland Statewide Tenant Advice and Referral Service (QSTARS) is the service for you. QSTARS can be contacted on 1300 477 263. The Tenants Queensland website also contains resources to help people resolve matters themselves, free advice and template documents.

Should your matter need a third matter to help resolve a dispute, the Rental Tenancies Authority has an online tenancy dispute resolution tool where either the tenant/resident or owner can request a conciliation to resolve the dispute.

An alternative to support programs is upskilling in tenancy skills. Tenancy Skills offers an online self-paced course to learn about your rights and responsibilities, budgeting and communication skills.

Renting a property in the current Queensland housing market can be stressful. There are a range of supports available to assist with the process.

RentConnect is a service that helps people struggling to find and apply for private rentals. The barriers may be due to limited rental history, a lack of skills, knowledge or understanding of how the private rental market works, or due to a lack of documents required for private rentals.

Sometimes the barrier to gaining appropriate housing is financial. The Queensland Government have Bond Loans and Rental Grants which can help cover the cost of bonds (no interest loan which is to be repaid) or 2-weeks rent.

There is currently a trial running for residents in Cairns and the Gold Coast to access No Interest Loans (NILS) to cover the private housing costs. To enquire about these loans, you should contact either the Cairns Housing Service Centre or the Gold Coast Housing Service Centre.  aa

You can access RentConnect, Bond Loans and Rental Grants,  by calling 13 74 68 and being connected to a Housing Service Centre which provides RentConnect assistance. Additionally, the Tenants Assist Qld app and Housing Assist Qld appv can help public housing tenants or bond loan/rental grant customers manage their interactions with the support services.