Paying unpaid rent when you leave
If you move out of public housing in a remote Indigenous community without paying rent that you owe, you will end up with a debt.
Find out who you owe rent to and how to pay it.
Who you owe rent to
We (the Department of Housing) manage tenancies for:
- social housing 40-year leases—where we collect and retain rent as the landlord
- agency appointment—where we collect rent on behalf of your local Council. Housing staff provide tenancy and property management services, including rent collection, applications, allocations, and repairs and maintenance.
Social housing 40-year lease properties
If you live in a social housing 40-year lease property that we manage (i.e. the department is the landlord) and you move out without paying your rent, you will have a debt with us.
If you’re unsure if you owe rent, ask Housing staff to check your records or download the free Tenant Assist Qld app to check the balance of your rent or maintenance.
Agency appointments
If you live in a property that we manage under an agency appointment on behalf of the Council and you move out with rent owing, you will have a debt with the Council.
If you’re unsure if you owe rent to the Council, ask your Council or our Housing staff to check for you.
How to pay your unpaid rent
If you have outstanding rent, Council or Housing staff can help you pay it using one of these methods:
- EasyPay—an easy, electronic way to pay your debt from your Centrelink payment
- bank direct debit—direct payments from your bank account
- payroll deductions—where you pay your debt from your wages and your employer sends payments to us for you
- EFTPOS at your local Housing office
- Bpay—by:
- logging on to your internet banking
- checking for the BPay logo on your payment card
- using the biller code 747337 with your customer reference number (and writing down and keeping your payment receipt number)
- at your local post office using the details on your payment card.
If you don’t agree with the rent outstanding
Talk to Housing staff if you don’t agree with the rent outstanding. Find your nearest office (PDF, 136KB).
If you’re unhappy with a decision we’ve made, you may be able to request a debt review.