In short
Queensland's rebate for landlords who install solar on a rental home has been open since 12 December 2025. It only applies to a standalone house, duplex, townhouse or granny flat that does not already have solar, is metered on its own, and is rented under a threshold the program sets. The tenant has to consent in writing before it goes ahead, the rent cannot be raised because of it outside the ordinary yearly review, and the feed-in credit generally follows whoever holds the electricity account, usually the tenant. If a letter about it has landed in your inbox, or you want to raise it with your landlord yourself, this is what the rules actually say.
If your agent or landlord has mentioned solar panels going on the roof, or sent a consent form to sign, you are looking at a real Queensland Government program rather than a sales pitch. It pays a landlord towards installing solar on a property they rent out, and it comes with rules that protect the tenant living there. Here is what qualifies, what has to happen before any panel goes up, and what it changes on your bill once it does.
What the rebate actually is
The Queensland Government's rebate for landlords has been open since 12 December 2025. It is paid towards the cost of a solar system installed on a rental property the landlord owns, administered through the Queensland Rural and Industry Development Authority. The landlord applies, not the tenant, and the rebate goes to them once the system is installed, checked and paid for. It sits alongside, not instead of, the federal Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme that already discounts solar for everyone.
Which rentals qualify
| Property | A standalone house, duplex or townhouse, or a granny flat attached to one, in Queensland |
|---|---|
| Metering | Must have its own electricity meter, separate from any other dwelling |
| Existing solar | None already installed |
| Network | Not part of an embedded network |
| Rent | Under the weekly threshold the program sets |
| Ownership | Held by an individual landlord, not a trust or a self managed super fund |
| Lease | A fixed term tenancy with at least eight months left to run |
The full eligibility list also sets standards for the system itself: at least three kilowatts of capacity, panels and inverters on the Clean Energy Council's approved list, a device that lets the network manage the system in an emergency, and installation by accredited people through an approved seller.
What has to happen before a panel goes up
Tenant consent comes first. The landlord needs a signed acknowledgement from you before applying, and the program's own guidance is explicit that it expects the tenant to genuinely agree, not merely be told. The landlord then gets a conditional approval letter, has a window to complete the installation and pay for it in full, and only claims the rebate once that is done and the paperwork, including an updated arrangement for how the electricity will be billed, is submitted.
That last part is worth asking for in writing. Whether you keep the electricity account in your name, what happens to any export credit, and how the bill will be split if it changes hands, should all be set out in the tenancy agreement rather than left to be worked out later.
Who gets the feed-in credit
The Residential Tenancies Authority is clear on the general rule: whoever holds the electricity account is the one entitled to the credit for power the system exports. In most South East Queensland rentals that is the tenant, because the tenant is the account holder, and our answer on electricity plans for renters goes through the exceptions. What matters is that the arrangement is written down, because a lease that is silent on it tends to become a dispute later rather than sooner.
Can the rent go up because of it
Not on the strength of the rebate alone. The program's own criteria state that it does not change the existing rules on rent, and the ordinary limit of one rent increase in any twelve month period still applies. A landlord and tenant can agree to renegotiate rent as part of a new lease, but the solar going in is not, by itself, grounds to increase it mid term.
Once the system is generating
A rental with solar behaves differently on the meter, whoever is paying the bill. Daytime usage drops, some power is exported, and depending on the retailer and the meter, the household may also be able to take the Solar Sharer Offer's free midday window. None of that is automatic. It is worth comparing plans again once a few months of solar generation are on the bill, because the plan that suited the house before solar rarely stays the best one after. See which retailer has the best solar feed-in tariff for why the headline export rate is not the whole story.
A checklist before you sign the consent form
- Ask to see the conditional approval letter once the landlord has it, not just a verbal plan.
- Get the billing and feed-in arrangement written into the tenancy agreement, including what happens if you move out before the lease ends.
- Confirm nothing about the rent review timing or amount is changing because of the solar itself.
- Check the property genuinely qualifies: your own meter, no embedded network, no solar already there.
- Once the system is generating, price your plan again on the usage and export it actually produces.
- If you and the landlord cannot agree on the arrangement, the Residential Tenancies Authority handles disputes over rental bills and utilities.
Quick answers
Can my landlord install solar on my rental without my consent in Queensland?
Not under this rebate. The program requires a tenant to sign a consent acknowledgement before the landlord's application can proceed, and the guidance is clear that the tenant needs to genuinely agree, not just be informed after the fact. A landlord can still install solar outside the rebate under the ordinary terms of the lease, so check what the tenancy agreement itself allows.
Will my rent go up if my landlord adds solar under this rebate in Queensland?
Not automatically. The rebate's own criteria say it does not change the existing rules on rent, so the standard limit of one increase every twelve months still applies, and solar being installed is not by itself a reason to raise it mid lease.
Who gets the solar feed-in credit in a Queensland rental?
Generally whoever holds the electricity account, which in most rentals is the tenant. The Residential Tenancies Authority recommends the arrangement be written into the tenancy agreement either way, so there is no dispute later about who is entitled to the export credit.
Is the solar for renters rebate still open in Queensland?
It has been accepting applications since 12 December 2025. Funding programs like this can close or change, so check the Queensland Government's own page for the current status before a landlord applies.
Sources
Official pages this article draws on. If one of them changes, tell us and we will update the article.
- Supercharged Solar for Renters · Queensland Government
- Supercharged Solar for Renters: eligibility requirements · Queensland Government
- Solar power · Residential Tenancies Authority Queensland