Qld landlords ditch ‘risky’ tenants and double returns amid rent crisis

Investors are pivoting to the short-stay market Struggling renters are paying the ultimate price as the lure of fast cash and flexible rules drives Brisbane landlords into the short-stay market. Real estate figures reveal investors are doubling their monthly returns by putting their properties on platforms like Airbnb, allowing them to sidestep strict tenancy laws and “risky” long-term leases. The pivot has sparked a fierce backlash from housing advocates, who warn entire suburbs are being swallowed by short-stay rentals while the state government sits on a secret report into the industry. 909/8 Dickens Street, Spring Hill brings in $325 a night on the the short-stay market The exodus follows a controversial raft of state government rental reforms that stripped landlords of the right to kick out tenants without a prescribed reason and slapped strict new limits on rent increases. Brisbane buyer’s agent and short-stay host Lauren Jones said entry-level investors facing $40,000 in out-of-pocket holding costs were turning to the sector to beat the federal government’s looming axe on negative gearing. “If they can increase their rental yield by doing short-term, that might be an extra $...