FROM THE REAL ESTATE INSTITUTE OF QLD
The Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ) is calling for a crackdown on the appalling black market of ‘backyard campsites’ for rent emerging in Queensland amid the rental crisis.
REIQ CEO Antonia Mercorella said the state peak body for real estate professionals would like to see such practices urgently investigated and stamped out for the safety of the community.
“It is highly disturbing to see reports that backyards, garages and storage spaces are being advertised for rent for people to reside in,” Ms Mercorella said.
“We would like to see the full force of the law coming down on these opportunistic people.
“This black market of grossly substandard ‘sites for rent’ needs to be nipped in the bud.”
Ms Mercorella said the vast majority (87.6%) of rental properties in Queensland were represented by professional Property Managers. However, a small cohort of self-managed lessors existed, and potentially, many more were flying under the regulatory radar.
“Real estate professionals are required by law to understand and comply with a raft of ever-changing and complex legislation, and they take this responsibility very seriously,” she said.
“These professionals are well educated by the peak body and understand legislative requirements surrounding tenancy agreements and minimum housing standards.
“Chances are that those deplorably looking to rent out backyards, garages and storage spaces for a quick buck are self-managed would-be ‘lessors’ who are either ignorant of the law or are blatantly thumbing their noses at it.
“Even if your property is not represented by a real estate professional, there is really no excuse for non-compliance, given the Residential Tenancies Authority provides a suite of free educational resources about lessor obligations.”
Ms Mercorella said it was also a timely opportunity for the Government to raise the bar for qualifications to be a real estate professional and to clean up the deficient education providers in the sector.
“When you consider the incredibly important work that real estate professionals are performing and the complex legislative environment they operate within, it’s essential we set the right entry threshold requirements,” she said.
“The Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) has already launched a review into real estate education providers. It’s time for urgent action to stop diploma factories that are just providing quick ‘tick and flick’ real estate courses.
“It’s also important that the ongoing education of real estate professionals is addressed with the long-overdue introduction of quality mandatory continuing professional development (CPD) to maintain and broaden real estate practitioner’s knowledge, competence and compliance.”
