A new online complaint service in Victoria will target dodgy advertised rentals.
Victorians can now lodge concerns about misleading listings and poor standards in available properties directly to the state’s consumer watchdog, Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV).
The Victorian Government said the complaints form takes about five minutes to complete.
Other State Government efforts to improve conditions for renters include planned caps on rent increases and a total rent bidding ban.
New rental complaint form
The new online form is targeted at complaints about advertised properties. The service won’t apply to renters wanting to raise issues about their current property.
Complaints could include misleading or inaccurate online listings or properties with minimum living standard breaches like broken appliances or door locks.
Victorians can submit images of a rental property to support their complaint. CAV will investigate complaints to determine if a property is in breach of Victoria’s rental laws.
Landlords face up to $11,000 for breaches, while real estate agents could be penalised up to $57,000.
Prospective renters and property agents can lodge complaints. Grievances can also be made anonymously.
Rental reform
The Victorian Government has announced protections for renters as part of its latest housing strategy.
This includes plans to outlaw all forms of rent bidding — a practice property agents and landlords were banned from in 2021.
However, prospective tenants can still offer more money than the advertised rent price to boost their chances of securing a property.
The State Government’s housing strategy also includes plans to restrict the frequency of rent increases for tenants who stay at a property beyond an initial lease agreement.
TDA reached out to the Victorian Opposition but did not receive a comment at the time of posting.
