Queensland’s new seller’s disclosure laws to commence 1st August 2025
The Real Estate Institute of Queensland is reminding property sellers and buyers that Queensland’s new statutory seller’s disclosure laws will commence on 1 August 2025.
The disclosure regime, introduced under the Property Law Act 2023, will require sellers in most transactions to provide a prescribed disclosure statement before a contract is signed.
Prospective buyers can expect to see these disclosure statements displayed at open homes, auctions, and in electronic form, containing key information such as title details, easements, and planning matters.
REIQ CEO Antonia Mercorella said the reform was designed to provide greater clarity and consistency in property transactions.
“The Property Law Act 2023 represents the most substantial overhaul of property law in Queensland in decades,” she said.
“The seller’s disclosure regime modernises the way property is bought and sold and is an important legislative change that ensures buyers are presented with key information upfront, helping them make informed decisions.”
Mercorella said the disclosure statements would help buyers identify potential issues early or provide confidence to progress to contract execution.
However, she stressed that the introduction of disclosure statements did not remove the need for buyer due diligence.
“While this regime enhances consumer protection by providing a consistent foundation of information across the state, it’s important for buyers to understand that the disclosure statement may not cover everything they wish to know about a property,” she said.
“Accordingly, the ‘buyer beware’ principle still applies in Queensland.”
Mercorella said REIQ remained concerned about the lack of government education and infrastructure to ensure equitable and affordable access to required information.
“It’s important that sellers understand that a contract should not be entered into until a disclosure statement is provided, and there is time and costs associated with preparing this document,” she said.
“Our support of this regime has always been conditional on it being affordable, practical and backed by appropriate infrastructure.”
She said Queensland lacked a quality, comprehensive statewide search tool to help sellers obtain required information for disclosure.
“This places a disproportionate burden on sellers — especially those in regional and rural areas — who must navigate disconnected systems to collect and verify property details,” she said.
“We’ve long warned that without the right infrastructure — accessible, efficient and affordable tools — compliance becomes more difficult, and the policy objectives of the regime harder to achieve.”
REIQ has developed extensive guides, templates and education resources to support agents in preparing for the new regime.
Mercorella flagged key outstanding issues that REIQ will continue to pursue after implementation, including auction complexities and Community Management Statement disclosure requirements.
“While many positive elements of this reform reflect our long-standing advocacy, there are still areas that require improvement to ensure the regime functions fairly and efficiently,” she said.
“We’ll be closely monitoring the impact of the new laws from day one, and we’ll continue to push for sensible changes.”
