Retail leasing FAQ14: I am a retail tenant and have a dispute with my landlord. What are my options?

I am a retail tenant and have a dispute with my landlord. What are my options?

• approach the landlord or their representative and discuss the issues and seek to resolve the dispute informally.
• keep written notes and if an agreement is made or an action committed to, confirm that in writing following the meeting in case of disagreement at a later stage.
• If the dispute cannot be resolved informally, most leases include clauses explaining the alternate process to resolve disputes. Subject to any legal advice you may receive, you should always follow the process outlined in the lease.
• The Act also provides a dispute resolution process for retail lease disputes which involves lodging an application with the relevant body in each State such as QCAT or Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal or the equivalent VCAT or NCAT. In WA it’s called the State Administrative Tribunal or SAT.