Gas and Electrical Safety Checks for Rental Property in Victoria

Victorian landlords are required to maintain two-yearly gas and electrical safety inspections for their rental properties, carried out by licensed technicians. Since October 2026, you also need to keep verifiable digital records of these checks. Here is what the law requires and how it connects to the broader compliance picture when ending a tenancy.

The Inspection Requirements

Under the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 and associated regulations, residential rental providers must arrange:

• Gas safety checks every two years, carried out by a licensed gas fitter, covering all gas appliances and fittings in the property
• Electrical safety checks every two years, carried out by a licensed electrician, covering the fixed electrical installation, switchboard, safety switches, and smoke alarms

Both inspections must be documented with a written report or certificate from the licensed technician. You must keep these records and be able to produce them if asked — by Consumer Affairs Victoria, by VCAT, or by your renter.

The October 2026 Digital Record-Keeping Rules

From 13 October 2026, landlords must maintain verifiable digital compliance records for these safety checks across all active tenancies. This is part of the broader shift to digital compliance that includes the RTBA's online-only bond system and the new bond claim evidence upload requirements.

In practice, this means you should store your safety check certificates digitally (scanned copies, digital reports from your technician, or records downloaded from the technician's reporting platform) in a way that you can access and produce quickly.

How Safety Compliance Connects to Ending a Tenancy

Missing or expired safety checks do not automatically invalidate a fault-based notice to vacate. If you are serving a 14-day notice for rent arrears or a notice for property damage, the notice itself is not void because your gas check is overdue.

However, non-compliance creates problems in three ways:

Regulatory fines. Consumer Affairs Victoria can impose penalties for failing to maintain the required safety inspections, independent of any tenancy dispute.

VCAT counter-claims. If you apply to VCAT for a possession order and the renter raises your failure to maintain safety standards, the tribunal can consider this as part of its "reasonable and proportionate" balancing assessment under section 330A. A landlord who has not met their own obligations may find the tribunal less sympathetic when asking it to enforce theirs.

Bond disputes. If you are making a bond claim at the end of a tenancy and the renter argues that the property did not meet minimum standards during the tenancy, missing safety records weaken your position. Under the new October 2026 rules, bond claims require evidence — and a renter who can show you were non-compliant on safety may challenge your deductions.

Rental Minimum Standards: The Broader Picture

Gas and electrical safety checks are part of Victoria's 14 statutory rental minimum standards under section 68A of the RTA. These include functional locks, structural integrity, weatherproofing, sanitation, and electrical safety. From March 2027, additional standards covering cooling, ceiling insulation, water-efficient showerheads, and replacement of end-of-life gas systems will come into force.

Maintaining safety compliance is not just a legal requirement — it is the foundation that keeps your other tenancy management actions (including ending a tenancy) on solid ground.

Practical Steps

1. Check when your last gas and electrical inspections were done — if it has been more than two years, book them now
2. Store inspection certificates digitally in a dedicated folder
3. Set a calendar reminder for two years from each inspection date
4. Before serving any notice to vacate, confirm your safety records are current — it removes one avenue of challenge

The Ending a Tenancy in Victoria guide covers the full compliance picture for landlords, including how safety obligations interact with notice validity and VCAT proceedings.

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