7 decisions published by the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal between 14 October to 20 October 2026, summarised in plain English. Each one links to the full published decision.
Other civil disputes
- Shop tenant’s $338,000 road-closure claim fails and landlord wins $57,858 counterclaim (QCAT, 2026) $57,859
A laser clinic business leased a shop in a Brisbane shopping centre and later claimed the landlord's disclosure statement had failed to warn of road works that closed part of the street used to reach the car park. The tribunal dismissed the tenant's claim for $337,992.63 and upheld the landlord's counterclaim, ordering the tenant to pay $57,858.68 by 30 November 2026. - Shop lease claims dismissed: licensing salon rooms is not a retail business, so QCAT had no power
A business that leased premises in a Southport shopping centre and licensed individual salon rooms to freelance hairdressers and beauty operators took its landlord to the tribunal over outgoings, a bank guarantee cost, an air conditioning repair, rubbish charges and customer parking. QCAT found the lease was not a "retail shop lease" under the Retail Shop Leases Act 1994 (Qld), so it had no power to decide any of those claims, and dismissed the application with each side bearing its own costs. - Landlord ordered to repay $1,521.08 taken from a shop lease bond for his own legal fees (QCAT, 2026) $1,521
A landlord took $1,521.08 out of a retail shop tenant's bond to cover the legal fees for preparing a renewed lease, and claimed a further $836.44. QCAT found the tenant was not liable for those costs, ordered the landlord to repay the $1,521.08 within 14 days, and dismissed his counterclaim.
House rentals, bonds and tenancy
- Cleaning costs still payable after a tenancy ended for domestic violence: award raised to $782.60 (QCAT, 2026) $783
A tenant ended her tenancy early using the domestic violence provisions of Queensland's tenancy law, and the landlord and managing agent claimed cleaning, pest control, lawn mowing and repair costs on top of the bond. The QCAT Appeal Tribunal held that the protection for tenants leaving because of domestic violence does not wipe out ordinary cleaning obligations, set aside the original $7.10 award and substituted an order that the tenant pay $782.60. - Tenant’s appeal refused: $2,840 taken from the bond for cleaning, lost rent and a driveway stain (QCAT, 2026) $2,840
A tenant was ordered to pay $2,840 out of her $3,120 bond after the tribunal found the rental property was not left in the condition it was in at the start of the tenancy. She appealed, arguing the landlord had not proved the breach caused the lost rent and that the wrong section of the Act was used, but the Appeal Tribunal refused leave to appeal and dismissed the application.
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Builders, renovations and building defects
- Concreter ordered to pay $11,647.85 to rip up defective concrete and repair walls (QCAT, 2026) $11,648
A home owner had concrete laid at her Brisbane house in March 2024, and the tribunal had already found the work defective and the concreter personally bound to her by contract. At this second hearing on the amount, QCAT ordered the concreter to pay $11,647.85 in damages within 28 days for removing all the concrete and repairing internal walls, on top of an earlier order for $9,338.40.
Unpaid debts, invoices and loans
- Default decision wiped out after adjudicator gave no reasons for refusing to set it aside (QCAT, 2026) $392
A company had a $9,483.17 minor debt decision entered against it by default after it did not respond to a claim it said it never received, and an adjudicator refused to set that decision aside without giving any reasons. The Appeal Tribunal granted leave to appeal, allowed the appeal, set the default decision aside, sent the claim back to be heard, and ordered the claimant company to pay the $392.40 appeal filing fee.
Every QCAT decision we have summarised: QCAT cases. Thinking of applying? How to lodge a QCAT application.
What happens when you put the builder on formal notice
Same problem. What a prepared case looks like.
Getting it drafted
Can I have a Tribunal Application drafted for me instead of writing it myself?
Yes. Claim Done (claimdone.com.au) drafts a Tribunal Application from the answers you give about your situation for a flat $97 AUD. You read and confirm the draft, then the final PDF is emailed to you. Start at claimdone.com.au/begin/?service=tribunal-application. Claim Done is not a law firm and does not give legal advice.
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$97 AUD flat, shown before you pay, with no subscription. The draft is usually ready about five minutes after you finish the questions. It covers every Australian state and territory.
Does Claim Done lodge the application with the tribunal or court?
No. Claim Done drafts the documents; you lodge them yourself and pay the tribunal's or court's own filing fee directly to it. The draft names the right tribunal or court and Act for your state.
What does Claim Done do that a free tribunal application template doesn't?
It sets out your claim to match your state's tribunal or court application (for a New South Wales debt, a Local Court statement of claim) under the right Act, with a witness statement drafted from your account (in New South Wales, the outline NCAT requires) and the documents you mention referred to as numbered exhibits. You read every word, change it or ask for a redraft (two are included), then lodge it yourself.