Schedule 5A to Schedule 6: Queensland Minimum Housing Standards Explained

What the Current Regulation Says

Schedule 5A was the citation for the standards in the former Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Regulation 2009. Since 1 September 2025, the current Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Regulation 2025 has prescribed these standards in Schedule 6. Section 17A of the RTRA Act empowers the regulation to set the standards, and Section 185 sets the lessor's obligations for the premises.

The schedule contains nine individual standards. Each one is mandatory. There is no cost-based exemption — financial expense alone does not excuse non-compliance. If a property cannot meet these standards, it cannot legally be rented out.

The Nine Standards in Plain Language

Standard 1 — Weatherproof and structurally sound. The roof and windows must stop rain from getting in. The structure — roof, walls, ceilings, floors, decks, and stairs — must be in good repair and not at risk of collapse from rot or structural defects. The property must not cause damage to the tenant's belongings through structural failings. Cosmetic issues like hairline plaster cracks or faded paint are not breaches.

Standard 2 — Fixtures and fittings in good repair. Every supplied fixture, fitting, and electrical appliance must be in good repair and not pose an injury risk during ordinary use. This covers cooktops, ovens, ceiling fans, exhaust fans, banisters, and cabinetry.

Standard 3 — Locks and security latches. All external doors and windows that can be reached without a ladder must have a functioning lock or latch. For rooming accommodation, locks are required on all resident room doors and windows. The standard does not mandate deadbolts or security screens — a functioning latch that prevents unauthorised entry is sufficient.

Standard 4 — Vermin, damp, and mould. The premises must be free from vermin, damp, and mould. This is one of the most contested standards because it includes a tenant exception: the standard does not apply where vermin, damp, or mould is caused by the tenant. Structural causes (roof leaks, rising damp, broken exhaust fans) are the landlord's responsibility. Tenant actions or omissions can fall within the exception.

Standard 5 — Privacy window coverings. Blinds, curtains, tinting, or glass frosting must be fitted in rooms where privacy is reasonably expected — bedrooms and bathrooms are the primary targets. The standard has an exception: if the external line of sight is already blocked by a fence, hedge, tree, or other feature of the property, coverings are not required.

Standard 6 — Plumbing, drainage, and potable water. The property must have adequate plumbing and drainage for its occupant capacity and must be connected to a water supply or other infrastructure that supplies hot and cold water suitable for drinking.

Standard 7 — Bathroom and toilet. Bathrooms and toilets must provide user privacy and functioning facilities. Toilets must flush, refill properly, and connect to sewer, septic, or an approved waste system.

Standard 8 — Kitchen facilities. Where a kitchen is part of the premises, it must include a functioning cooktop.

Standard 9 — Laundry facilities. Where a laundry is included, it must include the fixtures required to provide a functional laundry, other than whitegoods.

The Two-Phase Rollout

The minimum housing standards took effect in two stages. From 1 September 2023, compliance was mandatory for all new and renewed tenancy agreements. From 1 September 2024, the standards became universal — applying to every existing, continuing, and periodic residential tenancy in Queensland, regardless of when the lease was originally signed.

There are no further phase-in dates. If you are renting out a property in Queensland today, every standard applies right now.

What the Minimum Housing Standards Do Not Require

Queensland's framework is deliberately narrower than some interstate equivalents. There is no requirement for minimum insulation R-ratings, no mandated fixed heating or air conditioning, and no energy efficiency rating. If an air conditioner or heater is supplied with the property, it becomes a fixture under Section 2 and must be maintained in working order — but installing one is not required.

There is also no mandatory periodic electrical safety inspection certificate or fixed-cycle gas safety check. Electrical safety switches are required on power circuits under separate legislation, and gas compliance certificates are triggered by work (installation, alteration, or appliance replacement), not by the calendar.

Heritage Properties and Impracticability

Two narrow exceptions exist. Heritage-listed properties where a structural modification would require development approval may qualify for an alternative compliance order from QCAT. Technical impracticability — such as external locks on fixed high-rise windows with no ladder access — also allows for alternative safety measures. In both cases, the landlord must demonstrate the alternative and, if necessary, apply to QCAT for an order.

Financial hardship is explicitly not a defence. If the landlord cannot afford to bring the property up to standard, the property cannot be offered for rent.

Making Compliance Practical

The gap between reading Schedule 6 and actually checking a property against it is where most landlords get stuck. The regulation tells you what must be true but does not provide an inspection workflow, competent-person boundaries, or a filing system for evidence.

The Queensland Rental Minimum Standards Compliance Guide bridges that gap with a step-by-step audit checklist mapped to every standard in Schedule 6, including which checks you can do yourself and which require a licensed trade contractor.

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