Could you stretch your budget to meet an extra $120 a week in rent?
When Yeppoon woman Brandi Gilligan's landlord proposed a 30 per cent increase, she tried to find a new rental within the family budget.
But the alternative is just as difficult for families in regional Queensland who are trying to move in a market where vacancy rates are just tipping above zero.
The bad news for tenants is that Queensland, like most states, does not have regulations limiting how much landlords can increase rents by.
What can I do if the proposed rent is beyond my budget?
Each state and territory has a different governing body to uphold regulations and resolve disputes.
Sam Galer, from Queensland's Residential Tenancies Authority (RTA), says in most instances your first step should be a discussion with your property manager or landlord.
If you're in Queensland, the RTA provides free dispute resolution services if you don't get a result from those initial discussions.
"They can't make decisions about disputes, but they can help all parties to try and reach an agreement," Mr Galer said.
If there's no resolution, the next step is to take it to the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT).
But there's a catch: you must sign the agreement for the increased rent first and then apply for a dispute resolution within a set time frame.
The chief executive of advocacy group Tenants Queensland, Penny Carr, said most people didn't get that far and instead tried to find the money or a new home.
"If they win that case they might get lesser rent, but if they don't, they're stuck with the agreement that they signed," Ms Carr said.
"Tenants are pretty scared to lose their tenancy and what they're doing is trading off their rights to try to secure the tenancy in a more ongoing way."
Replicating the ACT example
Ms Carr said it was "absolutely" time for state regulations to do more to protect tenants.
Last year, the Queensland government updated the state's rental laws to make it easier for tenants to have pets or terminate a lease when the property doesn't meet minimum standards.
Ms Carr, however, wants to see Queensland follow in the ACT's footsteps and set limits on the amount rent can be increased by.
"The Australian Capital Territory probably has the most robust regulation of rent increases across the country, and they require a landlord to apply to the tribunal if a tenant doesn't agree to a rent increase that is over the CPI (Consumer Price Index)," she said.
"It's the landlord who has to make the argument.
"In Queensland, for example, if you want to argue you've had an excessive rent increase, you've got to gather a lot of market data about what other properties are worth in the area and things that you, as a consumer, generally don't know."
A spokesperson for the Department of Communities, Housing and Digital Economy said rent increases were prohibited under the first stage of reforms if they related to pets or meeting minimum housing standards.
They said the state government would consult with renters, property owners and managers and other stakeholders to define the issues to be addressed in Stage 2 of the reforms.
How often can my landlord increase rent?
Rules around how often rent can be increased vary from state to state, too.
In most cases, rents can only be increased once every six months, or once a year in some states.
In all states and territories but the ACT, the tenancy agreement must include a clause relating to rent increases with either an exact amount provided or an explanation of the calculation method.
Mr Galer said while the RTA couldn't comment specifically on rent issues in Queensland, there was "a great deal of value" in reliable tenants.
"Good tenants are hard to find sometimes," he said.
"So, while we can't influence the rent market, I certainly would encourage people to value the relationships that they have.
