Tenant service in deep water despite 'life raft' The Tenants Advice and Advocacy Service has been thrown a "life raft" but its future remains uncertain. The commonwealth has offered the state government $2.5 million to fund "critical" tenant services beyond June 30 when the current emergency funding is due to expire. But the state government has not committed to refunding the service beyond when the emergency funding runs out in December. The state government announced it would withdraw its funding late last year. The federal government provided enough funding to last the service for another six months and implored the Queensland government to reverse its position. The service, funded through interest earned on tenants' bonds, provides free advice and advocacy services to tenants in disputes with landlords. Penny Carr from the Tenant's Union of Queensland said the federal government's offer, made through Minister for Housing and Homelessness Mark Butler, was a "new start" for both governments and the service. "This is a new way forward for Queensland tenants, it is a new way forward for the state and the commonwealth and we really hope it brings a longer term resolution for this issue," she said. We've always said that our services help keep people privately housed and they are basically self funded through consumer's bond. It's a win win for everybody. The state government, if they accept this offer, they will have had over a year's worth of savings and tenants will still have their services in to the future. Queensland Housing Minister Tim Mander said the government had committed to redirecting the TAAS funds to additional social housing, and the services offered by the advocacy body could be provided through the Residential Tenancies Authority and community legal centres. "While the Queensland government's position on providing tenant support services remains unchanged, we would welcome an additional $2.5 million if it could be used to help fund the Newman government's homelessness plan which focuses on putting roofs over people's heads," Mr Mander said. If the Gillard government does not want to work with Queensland on our bricks and mortar solutions, then federal minister Butler can make his own arrangements to directly fund TAAS.