A new task force is ready to fight for the rights of tenants in Victoria. Namely, rule-breaking real estate agents and landlords are going to be hit with hefty fines if they’re found guilty of breaking the state’s strict rental standard laws.
The Need for the New Task Force
In 2021, the Labor Government introduced more than 130 rental reforms designed to make it easier for owners to manage rental properties and increase the protection for renters at the same time. However, some rental providers are still trying to avoid their obligations and get away with poor conduct.
That is why Gabrielle Williams, the Minister for Consumer Affairs, announced the creation of a dedicated task force that will work hard to make it clear to rental providers that offences will not be tolerated. The renting task force has been backed by a $4 million investment, and it will operate similarly to the successful underquoting task force. In other words, it is going to use market analysis and intelligence to strengthen the monitoring of rental campaigns, conduct targeted inspections, and act on recognized breaches.
Its Structure and Effect
The task force is created to be embedded within Customer Affairs Victoria (CAV), and it is all about employing experts like inspectors, extra analysis staff, lawyers, and investigators. CAV is also planning on building on its existing services and making it easier for the public to report potential unlawful acts and upload evidence through its website.
Rental Minimum Standards in Victoria
The rental minimum standards in Victoria include all the things that people would normally expect to have in their new homes – lockable external doors, a functional kitchen, and the estate being structurally sound and waterproof. Even though the standards are reasonable, it is advisable for owners to do reliable rental safety checks before they advertise their real estate. False advertising is also a punishable act for renters in Victoria, and some people might do it naively, not knowing that something is wrong in the space they’re planning to rent.
Penalties for Unsuitable Rentals
Letting someone move into a rental property that does not meet all the standards is now a criminal offence. The penalties vary depending on the deed, but the maximum ones go over $11,000 for individuals, and for companies, they are above $57,000.
Additional Efforts of the Government
The new task force uses all the work that has been done through the Labor Government’s Housing Statement. This includes a ban on all kinds of rental bidding, extending the vacate periods and the notice of rent increase to 90 days, and restricting rent increase between successive fixed-term rental agreements. The local government is also working on establishing a body called Rental Dispute Resolution Victoria, and it is also making an effort to deliver a Rental Stress Support Package for the purpose of helping all those tenants who are having a hard time.
How to Report a Potentially Illegal Conduct
As the task force is run by Consumer Affairs Victoria, it also allows the public to report all the seemingly illegal conduct to its intelligence team. Of course, the goal here is not to put additional stress on trustworthy landlords. The government is focused on putting a stop to rentals that simply do not meet the basic conditions required for decent human life. That is why it is important for individuals to react and seek help if they’ve been victims of illegal rental contracts.
The Efforts Made to This Day
Even though the force has been launched this year, it has already issued more than 40 fines that total $450,000. The task force is also organizing inspection blitzes with a high percentage of rental properties to make sure that such objects meet the minimum standards that we already mentioned.
Dealing with shady rental contracts and a lack of respect for tenants has been a huge deal in Victoria, and the local government seems to have found a way to put a stop to it. With a new task force focused on identifying and breaking illegal rental agreements, there is finally a real chance for tenants in Victoria to get true justice and feel protected by the system.
