Accommodation providers
Whether you are an accommodation provider on the Gold Coast or at another popular Schoolies destination, the information and resources on this page will be useful.
The seven night safety response is a whole-of-government response that provides a suite of integrated health and support services and initiatives aimed at enhancing the safety of school leavers and minimising disruption to the local community.
A key element of the response is the delivery of a nightly program of free activities which aim to divert school leavers from high risk behaviour and engage them in an alcohol and drug-free, schoolies-only, area.
Schoolies has become a rite of passage for tens of thousands of young Australians, with many planning their end of year celebrations years in advance. It's typically a time when school leavers head off to various locations for a well-deserved break to mark this major milestone in their lives.
Since the 1970s, the Gold Coast has been a favourite destination for many Queenslanders.
On average, 20,000 school leavers descend on Surfers Paradise annually. The majority are under the age of 18 and unable to enter licensed venues. These two factors, combined with the first time many have been away from home, a period of great change and uncertainty, mix in alcohol, drugs and peer group pressure, and you've got a higher chance of risk-taking behaviour.
Whilst the majority of the teens are well behaved with only a small percentage making poor choices, the Queensland Government, in partnership with the City of Gold Coast, activates a safety response to ensure the Gold Coast community and schoolies are kept safe.
Safety measures and services include:
- presentation of the Safer Schoolies Education Program to year 12s throughout the year
- Safer Schoolies wristbanding for genuine year 12 school leavers only
- Schoolies Hub, a dedicated toolie, drug and alcohol-free area for genuine schoolies to enjoy safely with their friends
- support on the ground including increased police and emergency services presence, - compliance officers checking IDs and licensed venues
- a suite of health and support services and an army of wonderful volunteers offering a safe walk home, cups of water or a friendly face to talk to.
Whilst young, underage people continue to converge on the Gold Coast to celebrate the end of their schooling, the Queensland Government will continue to respond by providing safety measures and services to help keep young people and the local community safe. Schoolies often say the thing they most enjoy about their Schoolies experience is the time spent with friends.
The Safer Schoolies team encourage all schoolies to value their friendships and make their end-of-year celebrations safe, fun, and memorable for all the right reasons.
Schoolies may have booked accommodation on your property either via booking agents or through privately owned properties, or there may be some bookings that you aren't even aware of. We value the important role that you play in enhancing the safety of school leavers and ask that you help by reinforcing key safety messages and informing them of the many support services available during their stay.
The Safer Schoolies team have created a Safer Schoolies Information Guide designed to provide you with information you may need during the Safer Schoolies Gold Coast Response, including important key safety messages and information on the many support services available to school leavers during Schoolies.
Get to know your school leavers—why not cook up a BBQ lunch one day? Or run a cleanest apartment competition during the week.
Getting it right with your house rules
- Schoolies accommodation rules should be applicable for residents at all other times of the year. For example, you should only impose noise restrictions and charge schoolies a bond if this is normal practice for all tenants, year round.
- Clearly outline your house rules and terms and conditions—at enquiry stage and prior to accepting a booking, a payment or check in. Include any cancellation fees, charges in your booking terms and conditions, as well as rules regarding room inspections, visitors, and balcony access.
- Reiterate the house rules to your guests upon check in and consider getting a signature of acknowledgment for your records and/or leaving a copy in the room.
- Provide third-party booking agencies with a copy of your correct, current house rules and terms and conditions, and confirm these are forwarded to all potential guests.
- Rules should state the behaviours that will result in eviction and include an eviction warning process.
- If a breach of the rules takes place, warning processes should be implemented and eviction of tenants should only happen in extreme circumstances.
- Room inspections can only occur if they are stated in your house rules and the customer has given signed consent for the inspection. A room cannot be entered without a valid and tangible reason, such as the likelihood of imminent danger to person or property, if consent is not held.
- Each apartment building should have an accessible complaint-handling and dispute-resolution process guide available for tenants.
- Retain supporting information relating to any bond deductions (e.g. diary notes, photographs, entry and exit reports, or pages of an incident register).
- If there is to be a deduction to the bond, provide a written explanation of the damage done or loss incurred, and the reason for the deduction within 48 hours of the guest's check out.
- Accommodation providers cannot discriminate on who the occupants are regardless of the unit owner’s preferences. If necessary, the unit owner may elect to remove their unit from the letting pool for a certain period.
Unfair rules or harsh consequences include:
- rules that only apply to young people or schoolies
- prohibit all glass from being brought in (if you need to stop tenants from bringing specific types of glass in all year round, be very specific)
- random bag or room searches without the consent of the owner
- charging guests false alarm call out fees when the fire service has not raised an invoice to the premises
- blanket statements that see a breach of any rule (irrespective of how minor or trivial) will result in eviction
- eviction of all tenants staying in an apartment for the conduct of one tenant
- imposing greater restrictions during Schoolies on the numbers of guests and times within which guests are able to visit apartments, than other times of the year
- making tenants liable for damage to common areas, irrespective of who caused the damage, or in circumstances where the damage was a result of fair wear and tear
- seek to impose a charge or fee if guests are in apartments after the stipulated ‘no guests’ period
- prevent visitors from accessing public areas, such as a pool or garden
- eviction and/or notifying parents and/or the police if an underage guest is found to be under the influence of alcohol.
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) undertakes checks to ensure resident letting agents are complying with their licensing requirements.
Dangers of lift overloading
In the past few years, emergency services have seen a rise in the overloading of lifts and resulting entrapments within Schoolies accommodation. It is important to remember that during Schoolies, lifts will be under more stress and demand than usual and there is the real risk that there will be a lot of people in a lift at any one time.
- In the event of a lift overloading incident or entrapment, it is important for accommodation managers to take the incident seriously.
- Lift incidents can induce or aggravate existing or underlying medical conditions such as anxiety, asthma, or diabetes. Guests may not have access to necessary medication. Heat-related illnesses can also pose a serious risk to those entrapped.
- In the event of a lift overloading incident or entrapment, always call Triple Zero (000) as your first point of call as a precaution.
We understand that some accommodation providers are concerned about potential damage to their lift that may be caused by emergency services arriving on scene before a lift technician however, property damage should never be prioritised over the health and wellbeing of your guests.
We encourage you to print and hang the below free lift safety poster in your lifts to raise awareness and potentially avoid any lift overloading incidents during Schoolies.
Hiring security guards
If you are considering hiring or employing security guards and/or crowd controllers it is suggested:
- the hiring is discussed and agreed to by the body corporate committee, especially the issue of how the cost of any extra security will be covered
- the security firm and individual officers are licensed appropriately. You can check a security provider’s licence on the Office of Fair Trading
- you have clearly established the role of the security officers and/or crowd controllers in both protecting the property and dealing with guests.
All security guards and/or crowd controllers should be briefed on the house rules, complaint handling, and eviction procedures.
For more information visit the Office of Fair Trading or call 13 QGOV (13 74 68).
Important contacts during Schoolies
For operational updates during the Safer Schoolies Gold Coast Response, please follow us on Instagram and Facebook.
Get in touch
If you have any questions or require any further information, please don't hesitate to contact us.
- Email SaferSchoolies@housing.qld.gov.au
- Call the Safer Schoolies Hotline – 13 QGOV (13 74 68) available 24 hours, 7 days a week
In case of emergency
In case of an emergency, don't risk it. Always call Triple Zero (000).
We will share additional resources closer to the Safer Schoolies Gold Coast Response.
Newsletters
The Safer Schoolies Community Newsletter gets distributed to all accommodation providers and residences in Surfers Paradise and surrounding areas prior to the response. This newsletter includes emergency contacts, road closures, and other information on the Safer Schoolies Gold Coast Response.
Posters
Below you will find a number of handy resources to support you, your staff and young people during the school leaver holiday period.
A handy one page list of key contact numbers particularly relevant during the Schoolies holiday period. Often handy to print and place behind front reception desk.
For accommodation providers to print and place in a prominent location within accommodation rooms/rental properties, prior to school leaver check (e.g. on the fridge or coffee table).
A handy one page list of key contact numbers particularly relevant during the school leaver holiday period. Often handy to print and place behind front reception desk.
