COVID-19 (coronavirus) advice for the UQ community - ACCOMMODATION - About UQ

I’m an accommodation provider or Homestay Host – what do I need to do if a student has COVID-19 symptoms?

If a student develops symptoms, they should:

isolate themselves in a single room away from others and seek an urgent medical review;
call a doctor or hospital ahead of time and tell them they may have a coronavirus infection; and
when possible, isolate themselves at home while waiting for results of the assessment;

If the student has severe symptoms, such as shortness of breath call ‘000’ and request an ambulance;

Should I wear a surgical mask?

Surgical masks in the community are only helpful in preventing people who have coronavirus disease from spreading it to others. If you are well, you do not need to wear a surgical mask as there is little evidence supporting the widespread use of surgical masks in healthy people to prevent transmission in public.

The ISOS coronavirus web site has specific information for travellers including recommended hygiene measures, as well as advice on wearing face masks.

I live in student accommodation. How do I know if the accommodation is safe?

I have booked accommodation and I cannot get there.

I have signed a lease but due to the travel restrictions I need to break or change my lease. What can I do?

I have contacted my Landlord / Property Manager but they are not willing to negotiate a break or change to the lease. What can I do?

According to the Residential Tenancies Authority (RTA) website, Landlords / Property Managers are allowed to seek reasonable compensation costs from you if you break the agreement early.

If the Landlord / Property Manager is not willing to negotiate after you have made contact, you can seek further support from the Student Services Accommodation Team. Contact the team by emailing accommodation@uq.edu.au

I don’t feel confident directly contacting the Landlord / Property Manager to cancel or change my lease.

What compensation might I be asked to pay if I break or change my lease?

If you break the agreement early Landlords / Property Managers can request you pay costs to cover the loss of rent until the property is re-let; or until the end of the tenancy agreement; or to cover re-letting advertising costs.

UQ recommends that compensation is discussed between yourself and the Landlord / Property Manager. More information can be found from the Residential Tenancies Authority (RTA) website.

My lease states there are penalty fees if the agreement is breached.

I want my bond back. What can I do?

As you have a lease agreement, you have probably paid a bond. When you pay a bond, the person you pay this money to must lodge your bond with the RTA (Residential Tenancies Authority). The RTA will send you an official receipt when they receive your bond money. If you don’t receive a receipt, call the RTA to see if your bond has been lodged.

The RTA advises the quickest and easiest way to get a bond refund is for the tenant and the property manager / owner to reach agreement about how the bond is to be paid out.

If you don’t follow the terms and conditions of your tenancy agreement the Landlord or Property Manager can claim money from your bond at the end of the tenancy. If no agreement can be made and there is a dispute over the bond, either party, tenant or Landlord / Property Manager can claim the bond by lodging a FORM 4 with the RTA with only their signature on it. This is a disputed bond claim.

I am a returning student and all of my belongings are in the property.

If I cancel my accommodation, will there be somewhere for me to stay when I can come to Australia?

I’m really not sure what to do about my accommodation. Who can help?

The accommodation team at UQ are here to support you with your questions and provide advice. Please get in touch by emailing accommodation@uq.edu.au. Tenancy advice can also be found by visiting https://my.uq.edu.au/information-and-services/student-support/accommodation/about-accommodation/tenancy-advice.

We also suggest seeking advice from the Residential Tenancies Authority (RTA) via their website, https://www.rta.qld.gov.au who can provide tenancy information and support. Additional contact details for the RTA can be found on their website.

The Queensland State-wide Tenant Advice and Referral Service (Qstars) is a free, independent advice and referral service for all Queensland renters. Their website contains information and advice for tenants along with other channels for making contact https://qstars.org.au/.