How Much Does It Cost to Break a Lease in Queensland?

Breaking a lease in Queensland will commonly cost between one and four weeks’ rent for a fixed-term agreement of less than three years entered into on or after 30 September 2024.

However, that is only the maximum reletting cost under the standard calculation. If the property is rented to someone else sooner, the amount may be lower.

The reletting cost is calculated using the lower of the statutory cap based on how much of your lease has elapsed and the rent payable until a replacement tenancy begins.

For example, if your calculated cap is four weeks’ rent but a new tenant begins after 10 days, the reletting cost should generally be limited to 10 days’ rent.

Your total move-out account may also include separate amounts you already owe, such as unpaid rent, water charges or the cost of damage for which you are responsible. Those amounts are not part of the reletting cost itself.

This guide applies primarily to Queensland fixed-term residential tenancy agreements. Different rules may apply to older agreements, rooming accommodation, periodic tenancies, domestic and family violence situations, excessive hardship applications and agreements lasting more than three years.

Queensland break lease costs at a glance

For most fixed-term agreements of less than three years entered into on or after 30 September 2024, the maximum reletting cost is:

The amount is based on the percentage of the agreement that has expired when you vacate, not simply the number of months remaining. The final reletting cost is the lower of the amount in the table and the rent payable until a replacement tenancy begins. A property manager or owner cannot add separate extra reletting costs on top of the amount calculated under these rules.

Estimate your Queensland break lease cost

The fastest way to get a starting estimate is to enter:

• Your weekly rent.
• The start and end dates of your fixed-term agreement.
• The date you expect to hand back vacant possession.
• The replacement tenant’s start date, if it is known.

The calculator provides a general estimate only. Your signed agreement, exact dates, any replacement tenancy and the circumstances in which the tenancy ends can affect the final amount.

What does “breaking a lease” mean in Queensland?

A fixed-term tenancy agreement has a set beginning and end date. Breaking the lease usually means that either the tenant or property owner ends the agreement before that fixed end date.

A tenancy agreement is legally binding. A tenant is not physically prevented from moving out early, but leaving before the agreement ends may create a liability to pay compensation. For a tenant, that compensation will often include reletting costs, plus any other outstanding tenancy amounts.

The Queensland Residential Tenancies Authority recommends notifying the property manager or owner in writing. Options may include:

• Reaching a written mutual agreement to end the tenancy.
• Giving a Notice of intention to leave (Form 13).
• Requesting approval to transfer your interest in the tenancy.
• Applying to QCAT in cases of excessive hardship.

See the RTA’s official information about ending an agreement early for the available options and responsibilities.

What are reletting costs?

Reletting costs are intended to compensate the property owner for the cost or loss associated with finding a replacement tenant after a fixed-term agreement ends early.

For eligible newer agreements, the reletting cost is not an open-ended collection of advertising fees, letting commissions and rent until the lease ends. It is calculated according to limits set by Queensland tenancy law, using how much of the fixed term has elapsed, the rent and how quickly a new tenancy begins.

The percentage-based amount is a cap, not necessarily the amount you will ultimately pay. If your maximum is three weeks’ rent but a replacement tenancy begins after eight days, the lower eight-day rent amount will generally apply.

The RTA also states that reletting costs do not include outstanding amounts such as rent arrears, service charges or damage for which the tenant remains responsible.

How the Queensland calculation works

Less than 25% of the lease has elapsed

The maximum reletting cost is four weeks’ rent. At $600 per week, the cap is:

If a new tenant starts after only 10 days, 10 days’ rent is approximately $857.14. Because that is lower than $2,400, the lower amount would generally be used.

Between 25% and less than 50% has elapsed

The maximum is three weeks’ rent. At $600 per week:

Again, this is a cap. If the property is relet before three weeks have passed, the rent payable until the replacement tenancy begins may be lower.

Between 50% and less than 75% has elapsed

The maximum is two weeks’ rent. At $600 per week:

A tenant leaving seven months into a 12-month agreement would generally fall within this category, subject to the exact dates.

At least 75% of the lease has elapsed

The maximum is one week’s rent. At $600 per week:

If the property is relet after three days, the lower three-day rent amount may apply instead.

A practical break lease example

Consider a 12-month tenancy at $650 per week. The tenant vacates after approximately five months, when about 42% of the agreement has elapsed, and a replacement tenant begins two weeks later.

Because between 25% and less than 50% has elapsed, the percentage-based cap is three weeks’ rent:

Rent until the replacement tenancy begins is:

The lower amount is $1,300, so the estimated reletting cost would be $1,300 rather than $1,950. This assumes there are no unusual agreement terms, tribunal orders or disputes affecting the calculation.

Does the agent have to find a new tenant quickly?

The property manager or owner must take reasonable steps to minimise the loss or expense caused by the tenancy ending early. This is commonly referred to as the duty to mitigate loss.

In practical terms, the property should not be left unadvertised or deliberately kept vacant so a larger amount can be claimed. The RTA says the property manager or owner should begin making arrangements to relet as soon as practical.

What is reasonable depends on the circumstances, including when the owner or agent was notified, when the property became available, advertising, consideration of suitable applications, access for inspections, the property’s condition and asking rent, and whether a replacement tenancy was delayed unnecessarily.

The tenant can help by giving notice as early as possible, keeping communication in writing and cooperating with lawful inspection access. The duty to minimise loss does not require the owner to accept the first applicant regardless of suitability.

Can the agent charge advertising and letting fees separately?

For fixed-term agreements entered into on or after 30 September 2024, the RTA states that no additional reletting costs can be requested beyond the amount calculated under the statutory criteria.

The percentage-based cap is not a starting amount to which separate advertising fees, letting commissions and other reletting charges are added. This does not prevent an owner from pursuing other lawful amounts separate from reletting costs, such as unpaid rent, water usage or damage.

If a claim is unclear, ask for an itemised written explanation showing the agreement dates, percentage elapsed, applicable weeks, weekly rent, replacement tenancy commencement date and any separate outstanding amounts.

What if the property is relet immediately?

If a replacement tenant begins immediately after your tenancy ends, there may be little or no rent-loss component. The percentage-based amount must be compared with rent payable until the replacement tenancy begins, and the lower figure applies.

The RTA gives an example where a property is relet five days after the tenancy ends early. The reletting cost is five days’ rent rather than the higher percentage-based cap. Ask for confirmation of the replacement tenancy start date if it affects the amount claimed.

What if my agreement began before 30 September 2024?

The newer percentage-based framework does not automatically apply to every tenancy. For an agreement entered into before 30 September 2024, an existing term requiring the tenant to pay reasonable reletting costs may continue to apply if that term complied with the previous legislation.

Older agreements depend more on the wording and compliance of the signed agreement, the actual loss, whether reasonable mitigation steps were taken and any written agreement between the parties. Do not assume the current one-to-four-week table applies—review your signed agreement and seek assistance if the amount appears unreasonable.

What about agreements lasting more than three years?

Different caps apply to fixed-term agreements of more than three years entered into on or after 30 September 2024. The reletting cost uses whichever method produces the lower amount:

• One month’s rent for each complete 12-month period remaining, up to six months’ rent.
• The rent payable until a replacement tenancy begins.

Long fixed terms are less common, but tenants with these agreements should not use the standard one-to-four-week table without checking the separate calculation.

Do I keep paying rent after I leave?

Do not assume returning the keys immediately ends every financial responsibility. Under the newer rules, rent loss until a replacement tenancy begins is built into the comparison used to calculate the reletting cost. Where that framework applies, the amount should not exceed the relevant statutory cap.

Confirm the final account with the owner or agent in writing and avoid duplicate charges for the same rent-loss period. Keep your notice, emails, condition report, exit photos, key return record, property advertising, replacement-tenancy information, invoices and rent payment records.

Do I need to submit Form 13?

A Notice of intention to leave (Form 13) is commonly used when a Queensland tenant tells the property manager or owner they intend to vacate. Notice must be in writing, and the correct notice period and grounds depend on how the tenancy is ending.

Download the current Form 13 directly from the RTA rather than relying on an old copy. Giving notice does not necessarily remove compensation obligations.

Can I negotiate the break lease cost?

Yes. A tenant and property owner can agree in writing to end the tenancy early on a particular date and agree how compensation will be handled.

A clear written agreement might cover the final tenancy date, key return, agreed reletting cost, outstanding rent, inspection access, cleaning and condition, the bond claim and whether either party releases the other from further claims. Avoid relying only on a telephone conversation.

What if breaking the lease would prevent excessive hardship?

A tenant experiencing excessive hardship may apply urgently to QCAT for an order ending the agreement. Examples can include serious financial or health circumstances, but evidence is required and QCAT considers each situation individually.

A termination order does not guarantee that no compensation is payable. QCAT may still make an order about compensation. Read the RTA’s excessive hardship guidance before applying.

Separate protections and procedures may apply for domestic and family violence. In those circumstances, obtain current specialist information rather than following the standard break lease process without advice.

What if the agent and tenant disagree about the amount?

Start by requesting an itemised calculation and trying to resolve the issue in writing. Compare the claim with your signed agreement, the elapsed percentage, statutory cap, vacant possession date, replacement tenancy date, evidence of reletting efforts and any separate amounts.

If the matter cannot be resolved, it may proceed through the RTA dispute resolution service. If conciliation does not resolve the dispute, the RTA may issue a Notice of unresolved dispute and the matter may proceed to QCAT.

The bottom line

For most Queensland fixed-term agreements of less than three years entered into on or after 30 September 2024, breaking the lease may cost a maximum of one to four weeks’ rent. The applicable cap depends on how much of the term has elapsed.

If a replacement tenant begins sooner, rent payable until that tenancy begins may be lower than the cap. The lower amount is generally used.