First Time Landlord Victoria: What to Do Before Renting Out Your Property

The Sequence Matters More Than the Tasks

Most first-time landlords in Victoria start with the wrong step. They list the property, find a tenant, then scramble to fix compliance issues after the lease is signed. Victorian law flips that order completely — under Section 65B of the Residential Tenancies Act 1997, you cannot even advertise a rental property until it meets every one of the 15 minimum standard categories.

Getting the sequence wrong isn't just inefficient. Since 25 November 2025, advertising a non-compliant property is a statutory offence carrying penalties up to 60 penalty units ($12,546 per individual in 2026–27).

Here is the correct order, start to finish.

Step 1: Audit Against the 15 Minimum Standards

Schedule 4 of the Residential Tenancies Regulations 2021 sets out 15 categories your property must satisfy. Walk through the property and check each one:

1. Deadlocks on all external entry doors (keyless exit from inside)
2. Vermin-proof bins — council-compliant rubbish and recycling
3. Toilet connected to sewer or approved wastewater system, in a separate room
4. Bathroom with washbasin and shower/bath, WELS 3-star shower head (4-star from March 2027)
5. Kitchen with sink (hot and cold water), stovetop with 2+ burners, functional oven if supplied
6. Laundry connected to hot and cold water (if laundry facilities are provided)
7. Structural soundness — roof, walls, floors, windows weatherproof and intact
8. No structural mould or damp — cracks, leaks, rising damp must be fixed
9. Electrical safety — switchboard with circuit breakers and RCD/RCBO on all power and lighting circuits
10. Window coverings — light-blocking curtains or blinds in bedrooms and living areas
11. Window cord anchors — all corded internal window coverings, including blinds and curtains, must have compliant anchors (since 1 December 2025)
12. Window latches — all openable external windows must lock securely
13. Lighting — natural light by day and artificial light by night in all interior rooms
14. Ventilation — habitable rooms, bathrooms, toilets, and laundries meet Building Code of Australia standards
15. Fixed heating — non-portable, energy-efficient heater in the main living area (2-star minimum for agreements from 29 March 2023)

If you have a legacy ceramic fuse, panel, or federal fuse board, a full replacement may be needed because RCD components may not be added to that type. An electrician can add the required circuit-breaker components to the power-outlet and lighting circuits on an existing circuit-breaker switchboard without replacing the whole board.

Step 2: Book Safety Checks

Three safety inspections run on their own statutory cycles, independent of the minimum standards audit:

• Electrical safety check — every 2 years, by a licensed electrician. You need both an Electrical Safety Check Report and a Certificate of Electrical Safety (COES) lodged with Energy Safe Victoria.
• Gas safety check — every 2 years, by a licensed or registered gasfitter. Includes carbon monoxide spillage testing and line pressure checks. Required when the property has gas appliances, fixtures, or fittings.
• Smoke alarm test — annually. Test function, replace batteries, and replace any unit past its 10-year expiry.

If the property has a pool or spa (water depth over 300 mm), you also need a current Form 23 Certificate of Barrier Compliance from a registered building surveyor — renewed every four years.

Step 3: Fix Defects Before Advertising

Every defect found in steps 1 and 2 must be rectified before you list the property anywhere — online, in a window card, or through an agent. From 13 October 2026, Section 65F also requires you to retain documentary proof that the property met all minimum standards before advertising. Keep every trade invoice, safety certificate, and dated photograph.

Step 4: Prepare the Pre-Agreement Disclosure

Under Section 30A of the RTA, you must give prospective tenants a completed Mandatory Disclosure Statement before they sign the lease. The 17-point disclosure includes:

• Dates of the most recent electrical and gas safety checks
• Any outstanding safety check recommendations
• Mould or structural damp repair history from the past 3 years
• Whether the property was the site of a homicide (5 years) or drug cultivation/trafficking (5 years)
• Outstanding building notices, cladding orders, or structural defect orders
• Heritage status under the Heritage Act 2017
• Whether a mortgagee is taking possession action

Providing false or incomplete disclosure information is a separate offence, also carrying up to 60 penalty units.

Step 5: Assemble Your Lease Documents

At or before signing, provide:

• The prescribed rental agreement (Form 1 for fixed terms up to 5 years, Form 2 for longer)
• The Renter Information Statement from Consumer Affairs Victoria
• Emergency trade contact details for urgent repairs

Before the tenant moves in, provide two signed copies of the condition report.

Documents can be delivered electronically only with the tenant's written consent.

Step 6: Set Up Ongoing Compliance Tracking

Compliance doesn't end at move-in. You need a system to track:

• Biennial electrical and gas safety check due dates
• Annual smoke alarm servicing
• Pool barrier certificate expiry (if applicable)
• The 7-year record retention period under Section 65F for minimum standard evidence
• The 5-year retention period for safety check reports

The Victoria Rental Minimum Standards Compliance Guide walks through each step with dated worksheets covering the full audit, disclosure, and record-keeping process — designed for self-managing landlords doing this for the first time.

See more Victoria guides →