G'day.
Nine weeks until EOFY, smoke alarm fines are landing in south-east Queensland, and the ATO's 2026 compliance statement has one line most landlords missed. Here's the week.
This week in Australian property
RBA holds rates at 4.35% for the fifth time
The board held the cash rate at 4.35% for the fifth consecutive meeting. The statement flagged sticky services inflation and a labour market that's loosening slower than expected.
What this means for you: your interest cost isn't changing this month. But roughly 30% of investor loans written during the 2021–2022 fixed-rate peak are still rolling off to variable over the next 18 months. If yours is one of them, run the new number before your fix date — a 2% jump on a $500k loan is $10,000/yr in extra deductible interest.
Open the negative gearing calculator →
QLD smoke alarm fines are showing up
Queensland landlords: the interconnected photoelectric smoke alarm standard has been law since January 2022, but enforcement noticeably ramped up in Q1 2026. Three cases in south-east QLD have reported fines between $600 and $2,400 per property after tenant complaints.
The rule, briefly: every bedroom and every hallway connecting bedrooms must have a photoelectric alarm, and they must be interconnected — one sounds, they all sound. Battery-only 10-year alarms are fine for compliance; hardwired with battery backup is better for owner peace of mind.
What this means for you: if you've got a QLD rental, check the date on the alarm. If it's pre-2022 or says "ionisation", you're at risk. Installation runs $300–$600 per property for a sparky.
ATO 2026 compliance statement — the line most landlords missed
The ATO's annual compliance address named rental property deductions as a top-three audit priority. The specific focus this year: interest on mixed-purpose loans.
Translation: if you've ever redrawn from your investment loan for personal use (holiday, car, kids' school fees), the interest on the redrawn portion isn't deductible — but the ATO has noticed many landlords still claim the full loan interest regardless.
What this means for you: pull up your loan statements. If you've redrawn for anything non-investment-related since buying the property, ask your accountant about apportioning. Getting this wrong now is an amendment, not an audit. Getting it wrong after the ATO notices is a penalty.
VIC minimum rental standards — electrical check reminder
Victoria's Healthy Homes minimum standards added a compulsory electrical safety check every 2 years back in 2021. A lot of VIC landlords did the initial check in 2022 and haven't thought about it since. Those are now due.
Ballpark cost: $200 with a licensed electrician. Tax-deductible in full the year it's paid.
Deadline corner
Diary these if they apply to you:
- 30 April — FBT return due (most landlords don't have FBT obligations, but corporate trustees sometimes do)
- 28 May — Q3 BAS due for businesses lodging quarterly (again, only relevant if you're trading through a structure)
- 30 June — EOFY. Last day to incur deductions for FY2025–26. Repairs, QS schedules, pre-paid interest, depreciation top-ups.
Product this week — BondShield photo cap lifted on Starter
One small change landed this week: the BondShield photo cap on the Starter plan has been lifted from 50 per tenancy to 150. Most move-in/move-out inspections shouldn't need more than 80 photos, so this gives you room to breathe without forcing you onto Pro.
Free tier stays at 50 — genuinely plenty for a single property.
That's it for this week. Reply to this email (or email us at support@propally.com.au) with anything I got wrong, anything worth covering next week, or questions I can answer with an actual answer rather than a guess.
— Tob
