The updated Form 7 – Lease/Sublease Form (Form 7, version 7), as well as the new Form 20 – Lease Declaration have now been published on the Forms Page. Guides to Completion for the Form 7 (Version 7) and Form 20 – Lease Declaration are available to assist with preparation of the forms. The Guides to Completion can also be downloaded on the Forms page.
From 22 April, 2025, the new Form 20 – Lease Declaration, will be required to be included when lodging older versions of the Form 7 – Lease/Sublease (Form 7).
It is recommended that any outstanding leases on the previous version of the Form 7 (version 6) be lodged prior to 22 April 2025.
Frequently Asked Questions in relation to the current leasing practice have been included below, sorted by topic:
General
The functionality isn’t available for the lodgement of leases by eConveyancing yet. Your ELNO (e.g. PEXA or Sympli) will provide further information when this functionality becomes available for their subscribers.
eConveyancing of leases is still under development and the proposed date for its roll out will be notified closer to the time. It is suggested you contact your ELNO (e.g. PEXA or Sympli) for further information on their proposed release date for eConveyancing of Leases.
No, leases already registered are not affected.
Yes, a further Titles Alert will issue advising of changes to the LTPM in due course. We recommend that you subscribe to Titles Alerts so that you will be advised of any changes by email.
Yes, you can still lodge a Form 7, version 6 (the old form); however, if you are lodging on or after 22 April 2025, the Lessor or their representative will also need to complete and execute a Form 20 – Lease Declaration to be included with the lease when it is lodged.
The way that leases are displayed on a title search will not change for all leases registered prior to 3 May 2025. All leases registered after 3 May 2025 will be recorded in a new way which incorporates the new Item 5 Premises Description fields on the updated Form 7 (version 7).
A comparison of how leases will appear on title searches before and after 3 May 2025, is shown below:
Before 3 May 2025:
After 3 May 2025:
There is information that is required to be completed in the Form 7 (version 7) which is not on older versions of the Form 7 (version 6 or earlier). Accordingly, this information needs to be completed on the Form 20 – Lease Declaration in order to provide the same information as if the updated Form 7 (version 7) was being lodged.
On or after Tuesday, 22 April 2025, any leases using version 6 (or earlier) of the Form 7 that are returned from requisition, must be accompanied by the Form 20 – Lease Declaration containing relevant information for examination and data entry of the lease. The new Form 20 – Lease Declaration, with the required information included, is available on the Titles Queensland Forms page.
All of the changes that affect paper lodgement will also affect eLodgement, however there are no additional eLodgement requirements (for Leases) that lodgers need to be aware of as a result of these changes.
Yes, the changes apply to all leases including sub-leases. When completing the Form 7 – Lease or Form 20 – Lease Declaration for a sublease interest, reference to a ‘lease’ can be read as ‘sublease’.
If the question you have about the new titling practice for Leases, or the new Lease forms isn’t contained in the above FAQs, you should use the Contact Us page.
Form 7 – Lease / Sublease
The new Form 7 (version 7) is available on the Forms Page on the Titles Queensland website, along with a Guide to Completion to assist with completion of the form.
The previous versions of the Form 7 (version 6 or earlier) will continue to be accepted; however, if you want to lodge a previous version of the lease without providing a completed Form 20 – Lease Declaration, you will need to do so prior to 22 April 2025.
On or after Tuesday 22 April 2025, any leases using version 6 or earlier of the Form 7 that are lodged or returned from requisition, must be accompanied by a Form 20 – Lease Declaration containing relevant information for examination and data entry of the lease. The Form 20 – Lease Declaration is available on the Forms Page on the Titles Queensland website
Leases lodged or returned from requisition using the Form 7 (version 6 or earlier) on or after Tuesday 22 April 2025 that do not have a supporting declaration deposited will be requisitioned for one to be deposited.
The new Form 7 (version 7) is available on the Forms Page on the Titles Queensland website and can be used immediately.
A Guide to Completion has been provided to assist with the preparation of the Form (Form 7, version 7) on the Forms Page on the Titles Queensland website.
Lessors have the responsibility to ensure that the correctly completed statements are shown in item 9 of the Form 7 (version 7).
The steps required to ensure the correct statements are made will vary depending on the circumstances. These steps may include reviewing the title of the affected land for registered leases and their associated sketches, or survey plans that describe the leased area.
In many cases, particularly where the Lessor is uncertain about the extent of a registered lease, the Lessor may need to engage a consulting cadastral surveyor to assist in determining if a new lease will affect an existing lease.
If there is a conflict between an existing leased area and the area of the lease being lodged, more than one statement may be completed. In these circumstances complete each of the statements which is relevant.
Where no existing lease on title conflicts with the lease being lodged, only the final statement is to be completed (the first 3 statements should be deleted).
Refer to the question in the FAQs for Sketches titled ‘Where do I find the surveyors sketch file reference?’
The area/volume, in numerals, as well as the measurement type must be included in the relevant fields in Item 7. It is not acceptable to insert ‘see attached schedule / sketch’ or similar.
Yes, there are scenarios where the land description in Item 5 may differ from the Lot on Plan Description in Item 2. For this reason, the land description in Item 5 must be completed for all leases.
In these cases, the item should be completed with ‘commercial’ or ‘commercial and residential’ as the case may be.
No, there have been no changes to the execution requirements for leases. All signatures must be an original, wet signed signature, for more information refer to Part [59-2000] of the Land Title Practice Manual.
Form 20 – Lease Declaration
The new Form 20 – Lease Declaration is available on the Forms Page on the Titles Queensland website.
Guidance has been provided on preparing the new Form 20 – Lease Declaration in a Guide to Completion on the Forms Page on the Titles Queensland website.
The declaration can be made by any one or more of the registered owners (the Lessor), their representative, or if the solicitor for the registered owner(s) has the sufficient knowledge of the contents of the declaration, they may make the declaration on their client’s behalf.
Lessors have the responsibility to ensure that the correctly completed statements are shown in paragraphs 4-7 on the Form 20 – Lease Declaration.
The steps required to ensure the correct statements are made will vary depending on the circumstances. These steps may include reviewing the title of the affected land for registered leases and their associated sketches, or survey plans that describe the leased area.
In many cases, particularly where the Lessor is uncertain about the extent of a registered lease, the Lessor may need to engage a consulting cadastral surveyor to assist in determining if a new lease will affect an existing lease.
Refer to the question in the FAQs for Sketches titled ‘Where do I find the surveyors sketch file reference?’
Sketches
Building Lease Sketch Plans
The Registrar of Title’s Directions for the Preparation of Plans already requires lease sketch plans to include a unique surveyor’s reference. This reference will form part of the description of the premises being leased on the Form 7 to support certainty and consistency.
The surveyor’s reference will further ensure that there is a direct and logical linkage between the description of the premises being leased as shown on the Form 7 (version 7) and the area defined on the sketch plan.
Master Sketches
From 22 April 2025, Master sketches can no longer be deposited with Titles Queensland. Instead, the Item 9 statements on the Form 7 will be used to process the lease and update the title accordingly.
Titles Queensland will rely on a Lessor’s statement (in Item 9 of the Form 7) that the premises described in Item 5 are not, either wholly or partly, the subject of, or concurrent with, any other lease currently lodged or registered.
Yes, a further Titles Alert will issue advising of changes to the Registrar of Titles Directions for the Preparation of Plans (RTDPP) in due course. We recommend that you subscribe to Titles Alerts so that you will be advised of any changes by email.
On or after Tuesday, 22 April 2025, any leases using version 6 (or earlier) of the Form 7 that are returned from requisition, must be accompanied by a Form 20 – Lease Declaration containing relevant information for examination and data entry of the lease, instead of a new master sketch.
The new Form 20 – Lease Declaration, with the required information included, is available on the Titles Queensland Forms page.
Leases returned from requisition using the Form 7 (version 6 or earlier) on or after Tuesday, 22 April 2025 that do not have a supporting declaration deposited will be requisitioned for one to be deposited.
The sketch file reference is usually found on the bottom right-hand corner of the sketch and may be identified as a drawing number, plan number or similar. The building sketch reference shown in Item 5 of the Form 7 and that used on the sketch plan must be identical and easily identifiable. Some examples of references have been provided below:
Yes, if the sketch complies with the relevant directions of the RTDPP and is still suitable for the lease that is being then it can be re-used registered.