What do I need to tell the department?

You must advise the department of any of the following changes within 28 days of the change occurring. If you do not advise the department, you may incur a penalty under the Housing Act 2003 or your State Tenancy Agreement.

Household changes

• When a person joins your household
• When a person leaves your household
• When you have a baby
• When children's custody or access arrangements change
• When a child returns from care
• When a foster child (or children) joins your household
• When you have a visitor who stays longer than four weeks
• If you marry, divorce or separate
• If you change your name by marriage, revert to using your maiden name or change your name through another process, such as applying to the Queensland Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages.
• When household members are regularly away for four nights or more a week
• If someone in your household dies.

Income changes

• When your and/or someone in your household's income reduces
• When your and/or someone in your household's income increases
• When a visitor stays longer than four weeks - evidence of their income must be provided to the department to re-assess your rent
• You become eligible for a different or new payment from Centrelink
• You become eligible for additional payments from Centrelink.

Changes in your circumstances

• When you want to end your tenancy
• When you will be absent from your property for more than two weeks
• When you are having a caretaker stay in your property if you are away for more than two weeks
• You wish to transfer to another property
• You need alternative housing because your present home is no longer suitable for your needs, e.g. you cannot climb stairs or the home is too large to maintain.

Other

• Damage has been caused to your property through burglary, vandalism, accident, fire, storm, flood, etc.
• Your property requires urgent maintenance

• Your property requires routine maintenance.

You need assistance when making decisions

If there is a person who assists you to make decisions, or who makes decisions on your behalf in regard to persons, lifestyle, or financial matters, please let the department know. This person might be a formally appointed guardian and/or administrator or a family member, friend or advocate.

You will need to complete one of these forms which are available from your nearest Housing Service Centre or by clicking on the links below:

• 'Formal Guardian and/or Administrator Details', if you have a Guardian and/or Administrator formally appointed by the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal or by the formally Guardianship and Administration Tribunal (GAAT).
• 'Informal Decision-maker Details', if you have a family member, friend or advocate acting in the capacity of an informal guardian and/or a administrator.