Hardship concessions for residential leases
Leaseholders who are suffering hardship may be eligible for a hardship concession.
Term and perpetual leases
If you are suffering hardship, you may be eligible to have your rent reduced. You can apply for a hardship concession at any time during the term of the lease.
Note: The reduction only applies for the current rental billing period for a lease that is only used as a leaseholder’s principal place of residence. If you transfer the lease, the hardship concession stops from the day the transfer is registered.
Residential freeholding leases
If you are suffering hardship, you may be eligible to have your instalment reduced. To find out if your freeholding lease qualifies for assistance, contact the nearest business centre.
Reductions in instalments do not reduce the overall purchase price of a freeholding lease.
If you transfer the freeholding lease, the hardship concession stops from the day the transfer is registered.
Eligibility
To be eligible you must:
- hold a term, perpetual or freeholding lease
- use the lease as your principal place of residence
- be suffering hardship.
In addition, you must meet one of the following criteria:
- you must hold, or be entitled to hold, a Commonwealth concession card
or - the annual rent or instalment payable under the lease is a significant proportion of your taxable income.
How to apply
Application requirements for term, perpetual and freeholding leases are the same.
Your application should include:
- LA00—Application form part A (PDF, 92.1KB)
- LA15—Application for reduction of rent or instalment (residential leases only) (PDF, 312.6KB)
- Application fee: no fee
- Copy of your current Commonwealth concession card (front and back), if you hold one. Otherwise, evidence of your taxable income (e.g. Centrelink payment statement, income tax assessment notice).
- Any additional attachments as requested relating to your hardship, such as
- evidence that you are unable to obtain assistance from your financial institution
- evidence from an accredited financial planner that you are suffering financial hardship
- evidence that you are unable to generate an income due to a medical condition
All information you provide will be strictly confidential.
To avoid processing delays, read the forms carefully and include all required information.
Lodging your application
You can lodge your state land application in person at your nearest business centre, by emailing to SLAMlodgement@dnrme.qld.gov.au or by posting it to Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy, PO Box 5318, Townsville QLD 4810.
Contact us
If you have any questions about lodging your application, contact:
- SLAMlodgement@dnrme.qld.gov.au
Phone: (07) 4447 9179
You can contact your nearest business centre to arrange a pre-lodgement meeting.
How your application is assessed
We will assess your application against legislative requirements and our own policies, procedures and guidelines. We may seek the views of other government agencies and inspect the land if required.
Policies and legislation
What happens next?
Once we have assessed the application, we will send you a written notice. If your application is approved, the notice will state the period of time for which the reduction applies.