5 decisions published by the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal between 16 October to 22 October 2026, summarised in plain English. Each one links to the full published decision.
House rentals, bonds and tenancy
- Landlords’ appeal cuts wrongful eviction payout from $12,323 to $3,793 after rent deducted (QCAT, 2026) $3,794
Landlords emailed their new tenants a breach notice over an unpaid bond, then told them to be out in two days, and the tenants left and claimed their short-stay accommodation and storage costs. On appeal the tribunal kept the finding that the tenancy was ended wrongly, but recalculated the compensation to $3,793.83 because the original award did not deduct the rent the tenants would have paid anyway. - Tenant ordered to pay $3,386.85 rent arrears after rent-increase ruling overturned on appeal (QCAT, 2026) $3,387
A tribunal member dismissed a landlord's rent arrears claim after finding the rent increase notice was invalid, including because it did not say when rent was last increased. On appeal, QCAT's Appeal Tribunal found that requirement was not yet law when the notice was given, allowed the appeal, and ordered the tenant to pay the landlord $3,386.85 within 21 days.
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. - 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.
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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.
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.
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