Temporary work rental deductible if I kept my family home?

 Author: KaraATO(Community Support)Community Support

29 May 2026

Hi @TempContractDoc,

What @Taxduck has provided is correct. Based on what you've shared, you can't claim the Brisbane rental accommodation as a work-related deduction. The accommodation expenses you incurred in Brisbane would be private expenses, not deductible travel expenses.

This is because you were living in Brisbane for the 9-month period, rather than travelling there for work. When your regular place of work changes to a new location and you need to stay there for a relatively long period, you're considered to be living at that location. This applies even though you maintained your family home on the Gold Coast and returned there on weekends.

You'll generally be living at a location if all the following are true:

• there's a change in your regular place of work and you incur accommodation expenses to be closer to your new regular place of work
• the overall period you're away from your home is relatively long
• you stay in longer term or settled accommodation, such as a unit or house.

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