Starting on November 25, 2025 – a number of new rules and changes will go into effect at Consumer Affairs Victoria. More will be added over the course of 2025 and 2026. These are all about the rights of renters. These will be making sure landlords follow the rules, protecting tenants and setting minimum standards for residential leases.
Rules Starting November 2025
Minimum standards for property before advertising- The law says that a property must meet certain minimum standards before it can be rented out or shown to people who might want to rent it. Even if the property is not rented out yet, landlords and agencies can still get in a lot of trouble for breaking the rules. There are a lot of standards that need to be met such as safety, comfort and usefulness.
Minimum Standards – Key Categories
- Bathrooms- Bathrooms must have a washbasin and a shower or bath that can get hot and cold water easily. Showerheads must be rated as having three stars for water efficiency. Toilets must be in separate spaces and connected to a working sewer system.
- Kitchens- Home/ apartments should have a kitchen with a separate area for preparing food. It should have a working stovetop with at least 2 burners, a sink with hot and cold water and an oven (if included).
- Laundries- These must have connections for both hot and cold water if they are there.
- Safety- The building must be strong enough to withstand the weather and have trash and recycling bins that are safe from pests. Modern circuit breakers and safety switches must be on switchboards. Building Code standards say that rooms that people can live in need to have enough ventilation.
- Heating- All rentals must have a fixed energy-efficient heater in the main living space such as a gas heater, a wood fire or a reverse cycle air conditioner that meets minimum ratings. Some apartments may not follow these rules.
- Mould and ventilation- Habitable rooms like bathrooms, toilets and laundries must have enough ventilation and be free of mould or dampness caused by the buildings structure.
- Windows and Doors- All outside doors must have a working deadbolt and outside windows that open must have latches that work. Windows must have blinds or curtains in the bedroom and living room to prevent people from seeing inside and control the light. As of December 1, 2025 – all corded window coverings must have safety hooks.
- Lighting- There must be enough artificial light in internal rooms and hallways at night.
New Energy Efficiency Requirements
Recent regulatory changes starting November 2025 begin phasing in stricter standards-
- Enhanced standards for cooling (energy-efficient cooling appliance in main living area
- Draughtproofing requirements for doors, windows and wall vents
- Improved ceiling insulation standards
- Upgrades to hot water and showerhead efficiency
- Higher minimum energy ratings for heating appliances.
No bidding on rentals- Landlords and agents cannot request or accept rent offers that are higher than the advertised price. Rental properties must have a set price, not a range of prices.
Extension of notice periods- The minimum notice for rent increases and vacate notices increases from 60 to 90 days.
Ban on no-fault “end-of-term” evictions- Landlords cannot terminate leases at the end of a fixed term without a valid reason. Tenants can still be evicted for damage, unpaid rent or the owner’s genuine need to move in.
Mandatory annual smoke alarm checks- All rental properties – regardless of when the rental agreement was signed must have smoke alarms tested every year. This closes previous loopholes that exempted older agreements.
Standardised rental application process- Applications must follow a state-standard form, improving transparency and fairness.
Stronger privacy for renters application data- Agents must comply with strict privacy requirements for use, disclosure and storage of renters’ personal information.
Ban on fees for rent payments and applications- Tech platforms or agents can no longer charge renters hidden fees for rent payment processing or background checks.
Portable rental bond scheme- Renters will be able to move their bond from one property to another without having to pay any extra fees. This will make moving easier on their wallets.
Higher penalties for violations- Increased fines for accommodation providers and executives who violate Consumer Affairs rules – specially minimum standards and safety obligations.
Setting up Rental Dispute Resolution Victoria (RDRV)- Starting in the middle of 2025, RDRV will offer a faster and cheaper way to settle disagreements about bonds, rent, repairs and damages than VCAT.
Additional Compliance Starting December 2025
Safety anchors on corded window coverings
All corded blinds and internal window coverings in rental properties must have safety anchors installed from 1 December 2025. Non-compliant properties cannot be advertised for rent.
These reforms expand compliance obligations for rental providers, agencies and property managers. All rules are enforced by Consumer Affairs Victoria and supported by active inspection, complaints tracking and electronic reporting systems
Enforcement
Rental providers and agents must reasonably verify compliance before advertising. Both parties can be fined for breaches and penalty units for violations are outlined in current legislation. Updates are tracked and administered by Consumer Affairs Victoria, with regular audits and reporting to ensure market-wide compliance.
- Not only when they were built or when the tenant moved in, but also when they are advertised for rent, the law says that all rental properties must meet the current minimum standards.
- These standards include safety, functionality and energy efficiency. They also include things that must be done no matter how old the property is like having the right heating, smoke alarms, ventilation and security locks.
- For all the technical details, check with Consumer Affairs Victoria. Before listing a property, always check for the most recent updates.
- These new rules are in addition to the compliance rules that were already sent out.
Electrical
- Landlords to conduct electrical safety checks every two years by a licensed electrician since March 29, 2021.
- These checks cover all electrical installations including switchboards, power outlets, lighting and safety switches (RCDs).
- Older properties without modern circuit breaker switchboards had to replace them or add circuit breaker components for safe operation.
- Landlords need to keep records and provide compliance certificates upon request.
- The property electrical systems have to be safe, properly maintained and free of hazards.
Gas
- Gas installations and appliances in rental properties have to be safe and properly maintained.
- Landlords are required to make sure gas systems are inspected and tested every 2 years for leaks or faults or through renters reporting.
Smoke Alarms
- Rental properties have to have smoke alarms installed and maintained in working order and tested every 12 months.
- The 2025 reforms significantly increase the safety and energy efficiency requirements, including annual smoke alarm testing and stricter electrical safety components.
This make sure rental properties are safer and more energy efficient beyond their original construction compliance standards.
