This article is general information only and does not constitute financial or tax advice. Consult a qualified tax professional for advice specific to your situation.
Key takeaways
- Victoria has removed no-reason notices to vacate, so landlords can only end a tenancy for specific prescribed reasons such as moving in, selling, or major renovations.
- Landlords must respond to a tenant's pet request within 14 days by either consenting or applying to VCAT, otherwise consent is assumed automatically.
- All Victorian rental properties must meet legislated minimum standards including deadlocks, a fixed heater in the main living area, window coverings, and a functioning kitchen and bathroom.
- Rent can only be increased once every 12 months with at least 60 days' written notice, and tenants can challenge excessive increases at VCAT.
- Bonds must be lodged with the RTBA within 10 business days and cannot exceed one month's rent.
If you own a rental property in Victoria, the rules you are operating under today are significantly different from those that applied five years ago. The 2021 amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 overhauled the relationship between landlords (now formally called "rental providers") and tenants. Some of the changes are administrative. Others have real teeth, and the penalties for getting them wrong are not trivial.
This guide covers the key obligations every Victorian landlord needs to understand in 2026.
The Language Changed, and So Did the Obligations
The 2021 reforms did not just update terminology. Calling you a "rental provider" rather than a landlord reflects a deliberate shift toward treating rental housing as a service with clear minimum standards, not merely a private arrangement between two parties.
Consumer Affairs Victoria enforces the Act. Penalties for serious breaches can reach tens of thousands of dollars. For most self-managing landlords, the practical risk is not a fine. It is a VCAT hearing triggered by a tenant dispute, where being non-compliant with the minimum standards or notice requirements will put you on the back foot from the start.
Minimum Standards: What the Property Must Have
One of the most consequential changes was the introduction of legislated minimum standards. Your rental property must meet all of them before a new tenancy begins, and if it does not, a tenant can ask to have it fixed or terminate the lease early without penalty.
The standards cover:
Locks. External doors must have a deadlock or a lockset with a deadbolt. Windows that can be opened from outside must have a working latch.
Heating. The main living area must have a fixed heater in working order. A portable electric heater does not satisfy this requirement.
Window coverings. All windows in rooms used for sleeping, living, or bathing must have curtains or blinds that provide privacy and block light adequately.
Ventilation. Each room must have adequate ventilation, typically openable windows or vents. Bathrooms and laundries must have a fan or window.
Kitchen facilities. The kitchen must have a working sink with running hot and cold water, a working cooktop, and adequate storage.
Bathroom facilities. A bath or shower with running hot and cold water, and a toilet that flushes properly and can be flushed in privacy.
Structural soundness. The property must be structurally sound, weatherproof, and free from mould caused by or related to the building structure.
If your property has not had a proper audit against this list, now is a good time. A pre-tenancy check is considerably cheaper than a VCAT dispute mid-lease.
Pets: You Cannot Simply Say No
This is the change that surprises many Victorian landlords. Under the reformed Act, you cannot refuse a tenant's request to keep a pet without first applying to VCAT for an order to do so.
When a tenant gives you written notice that they want to keep a pet, you have 14 days to either consent (you can attach reasonable conditions, such as professional cleaning at the end of the lease) or apply to VCAT for permission to refuse. If you do nothing within 14 days, consent is assumed.
VCAT will only grant a refusal in limited circumstances: for example, where the property is genuinely unsuitable for the type of animal, or where keeping the pet would contravene an owners corporation rule. Blanket "no pets" clauses in lease agreements are no longer enforceable on their own.
Rent Increases: Once Every 12 Months
Rent can only be increased once every 12 months during a tenancy. This applies to both fixed-term and periodic leases. You must give at least 60 days' written notice before the increase takes effect.
A rent increase notice must state the new rent amount and the date from which it applies. Verbal notices do not count. If you miss the notice period, the increase is delayed, not accelerated.
There is no cap on how much you can increase rent, but the 12-month restriction and the 60-day notice requirement mean you need to plan ahead if you want to bring the rent in line with market rates at renewal time.
No-Reason Notices to Vacate Are Gone
This is among the most significant changes for landlords who are used to ending tenancies flexibly. Victoria removed the ability to issue a "no reason" notice to vacate at the end of a fixed-term lease.
You can now only issue a notice to vacate if you have a valid reason prescribed under the Act. Accepted reasons include: you or an immediate family member intend to move into the property, you intend to sell the property and vacant possession is required, you are undertaking significant renovation works, or the tenant has breached the tenancy agreement in a way that justifies termination.
End of fixed term is no longer a reason on its own. If your tenant has paid rent on time and looked after the property, you cannot end the tenancy simply because the fixed term has expired. The lease rolls into a periodic tenancy and continues until there is a valid reason to end it.
Bond Lodgement: RTBA and the Four-Week Limit
Rental bonds in Victoria must be lodged with the Residential Tenancies Bond Authority (RTBA) within 10 business days of receiving the bond money. You cannot hold it in your own account; it is a breach of the Act to do so, regardless of how briefly.
The maximum bond is one month's rent (approximately four weeks for monthly leases). You cannot charge more than this, even if the tenant has pets or the property is furnished.
Bond lodgement is done online through the RTBA's portal. Both you and the tenant receive confirmation. When the tenancy ends, the bond is returned through the same system, either by agreement or, if there is a dispute, by VCAT order.
Entry Notice: 24 Hours for Routine Visits
You must give at least 24 hours' written notice before entering a rental property for a routine inspection or to carry out non-urgent repairs. The notice must specify the date, the approximate time, and the reason for entry.
Entry for routine inspections is limited to once every six months. If you want to inspect more frequently than this, you need the tenant's agreement or a VCAT order.
In a genuine emergency (a serious risk to safety or the property) you can enter without notice. But the bar for "emergency" is high, and using it casually will not hold up at VCAT.
Urgent Repairs: Your 24-Hour Obligation
Urgent repairs are defined in the Act and include things like a burst water service, a failure of a gas fitting, a blocked or broken toilet, a serious roof leak, or a failure of heating or cooling during extreme weather. When a tenant notifies you of an urgent repair, you must arrange for it to be fixed as soon as possible, and in any case within 24 hours for the most serious items.
If you fail to act, a tenant is entitled to arrange the repair themselves and recover up to $2,500 in costs from you. Having a reliable tradesperson or two on call is not optional; it is part of what the Act now expects of a rental provider.
Rental Provider Registration
Victoria does not currently require individual landlords to hold a licence in the same way a real estate agent does. However, Consumer Affairs Victoria maintains records of compliance actions and VCAT orders. If you accumulate a pattern of non-compliance (unaddressed minimum standard failures, repeated late bond lodgements, or multiple VCAT orders against you) it can affect your standing and result in enforceable compliance notices.
The practical takeaway is to treat these obligations as ongoing, not just something to address when a tenant complains.
Staying on Top of It
The 2021 reforms represent a meaningful shift in what Victorian landlords are expected to provide and how tenancies can be ended. Getting across the minimum standards before your next lease starts, understanding the pet consent process, and making sure you are giving the right notices at the right times will protect you from the most common VCAT disputes.
For the broader picture of managing leases, bonds, and tenant obligations across Australia, see our guide to managing tenants and leases in Australia.
This article is a general overview of Victorian tenancy law as it applies to landlords. It is not legal advice. Tenancy law is regularly updated. Confirm current rules with Consumer Affairs Victoria or your solicitor before acting, and speak to a legal professional if you are dealing with a specific dispute or compliance issue.
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