What does it cost to break a lease early in Queensland?
Yes, breaking a lease early in Queensland will cost you money. You are generally responsible for paying rent until a new tenant moves in or the lease ends, plus the landlord's reasonable re-letting costs, such as advertising fees or a letting agent's fee.
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How it works in practice
Understanding Break Lease Costs
When you sign a fixed-term tenancy agreement in Queensland, you are legally bound to pay rent for the entire duration of the contract. If you decide to move out before the end date without a legally valid reason, you are breaking the lease. Unlike some other states, Queensland does not have a legally capped, flat-rate break fee.
Your Financial Responsibilities
Instead of a flat fee, you must compensate the property owner for their financial loss. This means you must continue paying your regular rent until a new, approved tenant moves in or your original lease term officially expires—whichever happens first.
Re-Letting and Advertising Fees
In addition to ongoing rent, you are typically required to pay the landlord's reasonable costs for finding a replacement tenant. This usually includes advertising expenses and a re-letting fee if the property is managed by an agency. The re-letting fee is generally equivalent to one week's rent plus GST. The property manager or landlord must take reasonable steps to mitigate these losses by actively trying to find a new tenant.
Important exceptions
You may not have to pay these break lease costs if you have legally recognized grounds to end the agreement early.
Exceptions apply if the property becomes unlivable, if the landlord significantly breaches the agreement and fails to remedy it, or if you are experiencing domestic and family violence.
Additionally, if you are suffering excessive financial hardship, you can apply directly to the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) to terminate the lease early without standard penalties, though QCAT may still order some compensation to the landlord.
What you should do now
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Review your tenancy agreement to understand your specific obligations and check for any special terms regarding breaking the lease.
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Notify your property manager or landlord in writing using the official RTA Notice of Intention to Leave (Form 13) as soon as possible.
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Pay your rent as usual and request an itemized estimate of the expected re-letting and advertising costs from your agent.
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Keep the property clean and well-presented to help the agent find a replacement tenant quickly, which minimizes your ongoing rent costs.
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Monitor the property advertisements online to ensure the landlord is actively trying to re-let the home at a fair market price to mitigate your losses.
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