One month before your move
Book in for an inspection
Most real estate agents or rental providers set specific times for when a rental property can be inspected. Some may expect you to pre-book an appointment with them. This may even be required for ‘open inspections’, where you may be inspecting the property at the same time as others. We recommend you check to see if you need to pre-book (sometimes called “registering”) before attending an inspection, so you do not get turned away.
Minimum standards for rentals
There are minimum standards that must be met for properties being rented out from 29 March 2021, these include rules about:
- Locks and windows
- Toilet, bathroom, kitchen and laundry facilities
- Building structure, mould and damp
- Lighting, ventilation and heating.
For a full listing of minimum standards, visit Tenants Victoria’s website.
When you inspect the property, check everything thoroughly – both inside and outside – to make sure you will be comfortable living there.
Like the place? Put in your application
If you like a property, you will need to fill in an application and provide the relevant documents requested by the rental provider or their agent.
You can obtain an application form from the real estate agent or property manager before the inspection, ask for a copy at the inspection, or see if there is one available via the property listing.
Documents could include:
- Your identification, including photo identification like a driver's licence or passport, Medicare card, health care card or birth certificate
- Names and contact details of people who will give you rental or personal references
- Rent payment receipts or statements
- Employment details
- Proof of income, like current pay slips from your employer or your Centrelink income statement
Before you submit your application, make sure you tell the people you have listed as your references that rental agents may contact them so they are prepared to answer any questions.
Things you cannot be asked
A rental provider, or their agent, are not allowed to ask you certain questions when you apply for a rental property. These include:
- If you have previously been involved in legal action or dispute with a rental provider, such as going to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT)
- Questions about your bond history, including whether a claim has ever been made against your bond
- Credit card or bank statements that contain your daily transactions
- Any information about you that could be discriminatory, under Section 6 of the Equal Opportunity Act 2010, unless you have been given written reason why the information is required [section 30C].
For more information, please click here.
Tips: if you negotiate anything with the rental provider or agent about the property while inspecting or applying for the rental (for example, that an air-conditioner is installed), make sure you get the commitment from the real estate agent or property manager in writing, and make sure this is written into the additional terms of the rental agreement, along with any specific details which are important to you (so in this example, when it will be done by, the energy efficiency rating, and which room(s) will have air conditioning).
What you need to know before you sign a lease
Rental Agreement (lease)
If you are renting from an agent or directly from a landlord, you will need to sign a rental agreement. You should ensure that you have read and understood the terms and conditions of the agreement and that you are signing the right rental agreement for the chosen rental type.
For more information on types of rental agreements visit: Different rental agreements - Consumer Affairs Victoria
Bond
Depending on how much rent you pay, your rental provider (landlord) or agent can ask that you pay a bond. The maximum bond is one month’s rent (unless the rent is more than $900 per week). In some cases, the rental provider may ask the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) to increase this limit.
Bonds are held by the RTBA, an independent government body, in trust so that renters and rental providers have equal say in how bonds should be repaid at the end of a rental agreement. Rental providers or their agent must lodge your bond payment with the Residential Tenancies Bond Authority (RTBA) within 10 business days of receiving the bond. The RTBA will then send you a receipt.
If you do not receive a receipt within 15 business days of making payment, you can contact the RTBA.
For more information visit: consumer.vic.gov.au/lodgingbond.
Condition report
Your rental provider (landlord) or agent must provide you with a condition report that is in the template prescribed by CAV. They must fill in their part of the report, sign it and give you two copies before you move in.
Before you move in, inspect the property and add your own notes on its condition, including any damages. Take as many photos as you can. Give one copy of the completed, signed report to your rental provider or agent within five business days of moving in.
Tips: Keep your copy of the condition report. You might need it if there is a dispute about who should pay for cleaning, damage, or replacement of missing items upon moving out.