New Victorian rental laws have now taken effect, changing how agents and landlords handle bond claims, application fees and safety checks across every managed property in the state.
Landlords must now notify renters before claiming against a bond and produce evidence to support the claim. Under the previous system, renters often lost money they needed for their next home before they had a chance to dispute a claim; the new rules give them the opportunity to check and contest it first.
Agents and landlords can no longer charge renters an application fee, regardless of how many properties a renter applies for.
Gas and electrical safety checks are now mandatory every two years for every rental property, covering both new and existing leases. Landlords and rooming house operators must keep records proving the property meets minimum standards and hand them to Consumer Affairs Victoria on request.
A licensed gasfitter must also check gas ventilation before any draughtproofing work begins.
From next year, rentals will need to meet new energy efficiency standards covering heating, cooling, hot water, showerheads, ceiling insulation and draughtproofing, according to the release.
The changes build on what the government describes as more than 150 rental reforms already delivered.
The Renting Taskforce, now a permanent body, has issued more than $900,000 in fines to landlords and agents found in breach of rental laws, the release states.
Minister for Renters Tim Richardson said the changes were about basic fairness for tenants.
“Labor believes renting your home shouldn’t mean you’re treated like a second-class citizen,” Richardson said.
“We’ve already introduced more than 150 new renters rights reforms – this latest tranche means no surprise bond grabs, no fee to apply and a home that’s safe to live in.”
For property managers, the practical shift is immediate: bond claims now require documented evidence rather than a straightforward deduction, and application processes need to drop any fee component from today.