What to do now
Official standards: RTA, Minimum housing standards. Mould responsibility FAQ: RTA, Mould in a rental property. Tenant path: Tenants Queensland, Minimum housing standards and Repairs and maintenance. Keep paying rent. Free help: RTA Dispute Resolution Service. Check current QCAT residential fees on the QCAT fees page.
-
Document it today. Photos and short video of the mould and any leaks, damp patches, or blocked ventilation. Note when you first saw it and what rooms are affected. If it was there at move-in, check the Entry Condition Report.
-
Notify the property manager or owner in writing as soon as you can. Email is fine. Say what needs fixing, attach photos, and ask for repairs. Keep a copy. RTA says you must notify them as soon as possible when mould, damp or vermin appears during the tenancy.
-
Limit further damage where you can. Ventilate when the weather allows, use exhaust fans when cooking or showering, and move belongings away from mouldy surfaces. Do not stop paying rent.
-
Match the path to the cause:
- Structural or leak-driven mould, or any failure of minimum housing standards during the tenancy: RTA treats works needed to meet minimum housing standards as emergency repairs. Use the nominated repair contact on the lease and follow our QLD urgent (emergency) repairs guide (notify first, then arrange work up to 4 weeks' rent if they are unreachable, or urgent QCAT for a repair order).
- Routine mould dispute about who caused it or how fast they must act: if they do not act in a reasonable time, serve a Notice to remedy breach (Form 11) with at least 7 days for a general tenancy (at least 5 days for rooming).
-
If the Form 11 deadline passes with no fix, lodge a free Dispute resolution request (Form 16) with the RTA. If conciliation fails you get a Notice of unresolved dispute, then you can apply to QCAT (Form 2 path for residential tenancy disputes). For true emergency or minimum-standards failures you can often go straight to urgent QCAT without Form 16 first. See the urgent repairs guide for that fork.
Worked example
Sam finds black mould on a bedroom wall after heavy rain and a long-running roof stain. Sam photographs the wall and the ceiling stain, emails the agent the same day, and moves clothes out of that wardrobe. The agent does not reply. Because a leaking roof is a structural cause, and works needed to meet minimum housing standards are emergency repairs, Sam follows the emergency path: calls the nominated repairer on the lease, then the agency, then (if still unreachable) arranges a licensed remediator within 4 weeks' rent and claims reimbursement in writing with the invoice. If instead the dispute was only about surface mould and who caused it, Sam would serve Form 11 with at least 7 days, then Form 16, then QCAT if unresolved.
Who is responsible for mould
RTA minimum housing standards require the premises to be free from vermin, damp and mould, except where the tenant caused it. Responsibility turns on cause:
- Owner / manager side examples: mould from a leaking roof, leaking pipework, rising damp, or a building that lacks adequate ventilation or extractor fans. Also mould or damp already there at move-in.
- Tenant side examples: mould from allowing steam to build up in a bathroom without ventilating or cleaning, or similar lifestyle causes.
If the issue is caused by structural problems, or by reasonable use of the property (for example a leaking showerhead), the property manager or owner must make the necessary repairs. If the tenant caused it, the tenant is responsible for cleaning and any damage they caused.
Minimum standards, emergency repairs, and Form 11
From 1 September 2024, all Queensland rental premises (general tenancies, movable dwellings, and rooming) must meet minimum housing standards at move-in and throughout the tenancy. During a tenancy, repairs needed to make the property meet those standards are classified as emergency repairs. Do not duplicate that process here. Use urgent-repairs-qld.
For non-emergency mould disputes, Tenants Queensland and the RTA point to written notice, then Form 11 (at least 7 days for general tenancies), then free RTA dispute resolution, then QCAT. Keep paying rent the whole way. Withholding rent puts you in breach and does not fix the mould.
Rent and temporary move-out
Keep paying rent while you wait. You can ask in writing for a rent reduction for loss of amenity, then use Form 16 and QCAT if they refuse. Put any agreed rent reduction or temporary move-out terms in writing before you leave.
Where to get help
RTA: 1300 366 311 (Mon to Fri, 8:30am to 5:00pm, excluding public holidays)
Minimum housing standards · Mould FAQ · Dispute resolution
QCAT: 1300 753 228 · Residential tenancy disputes · Fees
Tenants Queensland: 1300 744 263 · Minimum housing standards · Repairs and maintenance