What was the TAASQ program?

Help tenants

The Tenant Advice and Advocacy Service (TAAS) program provided funding to 23 community based groups, including the Tenants’ Union of Queensland (TUQ), across the state to provide tenancy advice, community education, and advocacy support to Queensland tenants.

Funding for the TAAS program came from the interest generated on tenants’ bonds, which are held in trust by the Residential Tenancies Authority (RTA).  Each year, the RTA provided a small proportion of bond interest to the Department of Housing (DoH) for the TAAS program.  DoH administered the program by providing funds to the services and ensuring they meet their accountability requirements.  A program of this type has existed in the state since the late 1980s.

In the last few years, the Department of Housing committed additional funds to the TAAS program for assistance provided to social housing tenants and those in boarding houses, who generally do not pay bonds.

In the 2011-12 year, 75% of tenant bond interest was earmarked for operating the RTA whilst 12% was provided to the TAAS program to provide community-based advice services to assist tenants throughout the state.