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Queensland landlords are now required to meet new mandatory bunk bed safety standards in short-term rental accommodation, which came into effect last week.
Office of Fair Trading executive director Brian Bauer said the standard has been put in place to keep children safe while they are staying away from home.
“Almost 300 children are treated each year in Queensland hospital emergency departments for bunk bed-related injuries,” he said.
“The key safety feature of the new rules is that top bunks must have safety rails and there must not be any gaps that a child’s body can slip through or trap a child’s head.
“Under the new regulation, it is illegal to supply or offer rooms in hotels, resorts, holiday camps or other short-term accommodation that have non-compliant bunk beds where persons up to the age of sixteen are likely to stay.
“It is the responsibility of owners and property agents to ensure their accommodation is now up to standard.”
The maximum penalty for breaching the safety standard is $200,000 for an individual and $1.1 million for a body corporate.
The new rules were phased in over the last two years and are now enforceable, with the Office of Fair Trading reminding the short-term rental accommodation industry of the changes over the last 18 months.
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