Yes, landlords can claim solar and battery rebates on a rental property. A Gold Coast or Brisbane landlord can stack up to three: Queensland’s Supercharged Solar for Renters rebate, the federal STC discount and the federal battery discount. Solar Set keeps the current dollar figures on our solar and battery rebates page, because they change through the year.
This guide joins those schemes and the ATO rules into one decision path for landlords on the Gold Coast, in Brisbane and in Northern NSW. It also says plainly when a rental does not qualify.
Key Points
- Queensland’s Supercharged Solar for Renters program opened on 12 December 2025 and pays a rebate tiered by size for rental systems of at least 3kW.
- The owner must be an individual, not a trust or self-managed super fund, and can claim on up to 3 properties, each at a different street address.
- The property must be a Queensland house, townhouse, duplex or granny flat with rent of $1,000 or less a week and at least 8 months left on a fixed-term lease.
- You need conditional approval before you buy, and your funding is then held for up to 150 days.
- The Queensland rebate stacks with the federal STC discount and the Cheaper Home Batteries Program, while a Northern NSW rental cannot use the Queensland rebate.
- The ATO sets a 20-year effective life for solar systems acquired from 1 July 2019, and says a government rebate may need to be included in your income.
Which rebates can a landlord claim on a rental?
A landlord can draw on up to three rebate layers and one set of tax rules, depending on where the rental sits.
Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs) come from the federal Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES), and they come off your installer’s invoice as a discount. The Cheaper Home Batteries Program is the federal battery discount. It began on 1 July 2025, is claimed upfront by the installer and is not means tested.
The Queensland Government’s Supercharged Solar for Renters page confirms its rebate can be stacked with the SRES and the Cheaper Home Batteries Program. A qualifying Gold Coast or Brisbane rental can carry all three on the one system.
A rental in Kingscliff, Tweed Heads or anywhere in the Tweed cannot use the Queensland rebate, because the program covers Queensland only. The SRES and the Cheaper Home Batteries Program still apply in Northern NSW, so check any NSW landlord scheme on the NSW Government site before you count on it.
Knowing which layers apply to your address tells you exactly what to ask for in a quote.
| Layer | Run by | Gold Coast and Brisbane | Northern NSW | How it reaches you |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Supercharged Solar for Renters | Queensland Government | Yes, if the property qualifies | No, Queensland only | Rebate, with conditional approval before you buy |
| STC discount (SRES) | Federal | Yes | Yes | Discount on the installer’s invoice |
| Cheaper Home Batteries Program | Federal | Yes, one battery per meter | Yes, one battery per meter | Upfront discount claimed by the installer |
| Depreciation | ATO | Yes, if the rules fit | Yes, if the rules fit | Through your tax return |
Does your rental qualify for Supercharged Solar for Renters?
Your rental qualifies only if you, the property and the system all pass the Queensland rules. The program applies across the Gold Coast and Brisbane but not over the border.
An embedded network is a private electricity network, run in some complexes, where power is on-sold to residents through a parent meter. A property inside one is excluded.
The rebate is tiered by system size: 3kW to under 4kW, 4kW to under 5kW, and 5kW or more. We keep the tier amounts on the rebates page so they stay current.
This rebate is the wrong scheme if the property is an apartment, sits in a trust or super fund, already has solar, has less than 8 months left on the lease, or rents for more than $1,000 a week. It is also wrong if you are not willing to hold the rent after the install. Checking these rules first saves you time on a property that cannot qualify.
| Rule | What you need |
|---|---|
| Owner | An individual, not a trust or self-managed super fund, who does not live in the property |
| Number of properties | Up to 3, each at a different street address |
| Property type | House, townhouse, duplex or granny flat, with apartments excluded |
| Meter | Its own meter, and not in an embedded network |
| Lease | A fixed-term lease with at least 8 months left |
| Rent | $1,000 or less a week, with no rent increase after the install |
| Existing solar | None, whether it works or not |
| Tenant | The tenant must consent |
| System | At least 3kW, Clean Energy Council-listed panels and inverters, a New Energy Tech Approved Seller, a Solar Accreditation Australia-accredited designer and installer, and a generation signalling device |
What order do the steps go in, and what does the tenant do?
Apply first and install second, because the program needs conditional approval before you buy. A system bought or installed before approval risks missing out.
Funding is allocated first in, first served, with closure dates to be announced. The Queensland page said the program was open when we checked it on 29 October 2026, so confirm it is still open before you start.
Your tenant does not apply for the rebate. The landlord is the applicant, and the tenant’s part is giving consent in writing, with the no-rent-increase condition written into the paperwork.
Take a house rental in Robina as an example. The owner gets conditional approval for the 5kW-or-more Queensland tier before signing, the STC discount comes off the installer’s invoice, and the invoice and rebate approval then go to the accountant for the depreciation and income question. Following this order keeps your rebate safe and your tenant on side from day one.
- Check the property, lease and rent against the rules above, and keep a copy of the current lease.
- Get your tenant’s consent in writing, and note the system and the rent condition in your lease paperwork.
- Get body corporate approval for the roof work first if your townhouse or duplex sits in a body corporate. Our guide to strata solar rebates in QLD explains the consent rules.
- Get a quote from an installer who meets the system rules, then apply for conditional approval before you sign.
- Book the install inside the funding hold, which runs for up to 150 days after conditional approval.
- Lodge your claim after the install and keep every record.
Who should install it?
Choose an installer who meets every system rule in the Queensland program, because a system that misses one can lose the rebate.
A Clean Energy Council-listed product is a panel or inverter model on the Clean Energy Council’s approved product list. A New Energy Tech Approved Seller is a retailer signed up to the industry code that sets standards for how solar and batteries are sold. Solar Accreditation Australia is the body that accredits solar designers and installers. A generation signalling device lets the electricity network signal your system to reduce or pause its output when the grid needs it.
Ask any installer to show their seller approval and their designer and installer accreditation in writing before you sign.
Solar Set holds Queensland Electrical Licence 89708 and NSW Contractor Licence 386235C, and we are a Tesla Powerwall Certified Installer. Our directors hold Solar Accreditation Australia accreditation, every system is designed by our in-house solar design and engineering team, and all wiring, switchboard and battery work is done by licensed electricians.
Over the border, we installed a 15.5kW solar system with a 20kWh battery on a short-term rental in Kingscliff. With Solar Set, one licensed team handles your rental on either side of the border.
Is the rebate taxable, and can you depreciate the system?
The Queensland rebate is not subject to GST, but it may still count as income. The Queensland Government refers personal tax questions to a tax adviser or the ATO.
The ATO’s rental properties guide says capital expenses are not an immediate deduction. Instead, a landlord may claim the decline in value of depreciating assets or capital works.
The guide sets an effective life of 20 years for solar systems acquired from 1 July 2019. It also says a government rebate for buying a depreciating asset may need to be included in your income, and points to Taxation Determination TD 2006/31.
Second-hand assets in a residential rental generally cannot be depreciated by non-business owners, but new assets can. You also need to keep your rental records for 5 years. Take the invoice, the rebate approval and the lease to your accountant, and you get a clear answer on your own tax position.
Is a battery worth it on a rental where the tenant pays the bills?
A battery on a rental mostly helps your tenant, because the tenant pays the power bill and keeps the savings. That split, where you pay and the tenant benefits, is the main thing to weigh.
A battery stores daytime solar so the home can use it after dark. It suits a tenant who uses most of their power in the evening, and it adds less if most of your tenant’s use happens while the sun is up.
The federal battery discount is limited to one battery per electricity meter. It steps down every six months, with the next change due on 1 January 2027, and STC values step down every year to 2030.
A straight look at your tenant’s usage tells you whether a battery adds value or just adds cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I claim the QLD solar rebate if my rental is owned by a trust?
No, a trust-owned rental does not qualify. The Queensland rules say the owner applicant must be an individual, not a trust or self-managed super fund, and must not live in the property.
Can I install solar on my rental first and claim the rebate later?
No, you need conditional approval before you buy. Once you are approved, your funding is held for up to 150 days, so book the install inside that window.
Can a tenant claim the renters rebate?
No, the landlord applies. The tenant’s part is giving written consent, and the landlord agrees not to raise the rent after the install.
Can I get the solar rebate on a strata or body corporate rental?
It depends on the property type, and apartments are excluded from the Queensland rebate. A townhouse or duplex in a body corporate can still qualify, but you need body corporate approval for the roof work first.
Does the Queensland renters rebate cover a Tweed Heads rental?
No, the program covers Queensland properties only. A Tweed Heads or Kingscliff rental can still use the SRES discount and the Cheaper Home Batteries Program.
Is a solar rebate taxable for a landlord?
It may be, so check with your accountant. The Queensland rebate is not subject to GST, but the ATO says a government rebate for buying a depreciating asset may need to be included in your income.
Get a free quote for your rental property
Solar Set will check your rental against the Queensland and federal rules, then quote a system sized for how your tenant uses power. Our own licensed team works across the Gold Coast, Brisbane and Northern NSW. Call 1300 330 923 or check the current figures on our solar battery rebates page.
