Victoria and New South Wales to Introduce New Taskforces

Written By Kristy Brown

The recent announcement by the Allan Labor Government regarding the establishment of a new renting taskforce, aims to tackle rental provider misconduct, addressing a range of rental offences, including false advertising, renting out properties that fail to meet minimum standards, and failure to lodge bonds.

Backed by a $4 million investment, the Victorian taskforce will operate similarly to the successful underquoting taskforce, using intelligence and market analysis to enhance the monitoring of rental campaigns, conduct targeted inspections, and act against identified breaches. Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV) will lead these efforts, expanding its team with additional intelligence analysts, inspectors, investigators, and lawyers to support the initiative. The taskforce will also make it easier for the public to report potential unlawful conduct and upload evidence through CAV’s website.

These minimum standards, which include having a functional kitchen, lockable external doors, and ensuring the property is structurally sound and waterproof, are critical for maintaining safe and habitable living conditions for renters. Letting a new renter move into a property that doesn't meet these standards is considered a criminal offence, carrying maximum penalties of over $11,000 for individuals and over $57,000 for companies.

In addition to Victoria's efforts, New South Wales has announced the introduction of a similar taskforce aimed at enforcing standards and cracking down on substandard rental properties. These initiatives are part of a broader effort to make the rental market fairer and more transparent, ensuring that all rental properties meet the necessary standards for safety and habitability.

PropertySafe is here to support property managers and landlords in meeting these requirements. We offer comprehensive inspection services for Victoria and New South Wales that assess properties for compliance against the rental minimum standards.

For more information contact us.

Kristy Brown
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