How to Prepare a Rental Property for Compliance Inspection in Victoria

Whether you're preparing for a re-leasing cycle, responding to a Consumer Affairs Victoria inquiry, or just making sure your property wouldn't fail an inspection if one happened tomorrow, the process is the same: work through every applicable minimum standard, schedule the safety checks, and have the paperwork to prove it.

Start with the Safety Checks

These take the longest to schedule and can't be rushed. Book them first:

Electrical safety check — every two years, by a licensed electrician. The check covers the switchboard (which must have modern circuit breakers and RCD safety switches on all power and lighting circuits), wiring, power points, and fixed appliances. You need two documents back: an Electrical Safety Check Report and a Certificate of Electrical Safety (COES) lodged with Energy Safe Victoria. A trade invoice alone doesn't count.

Gas safety check — every two years, by a licensed gasfitter (only if the property has a gas connection). The inspection includes carbon monoxide spillage testing, flue clearance, line pressure testing, and burner audits. If you're planning any draughtproofing work, Section 68C of the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 requires a gas check within six months before the draughtproofing happens.

Smoke alarm testing — annual. Test every alarm, replace exhausted batteries, and replace any unit older than 10 years. Alarms must meet Australian Standard AS 3786.

Pool or spa barrier check — every four years, by a registered building surveyor or inspector. You'll receive a Form 23 Certificate of Barrier Compliance, which gets filed with your local council.

Walk the 15 Minimum Standards

With safety checks booked, walk the property against all 15 categories in Schedule 4 of the Residential Tenancies Regulations 2021. Failure to meet any applicable standard makes the property non-compliant under Section 65A:

1. Locks — external doors have functioning deadlocks (keyless exit from inside), except where the door position prevents a deadlock, an outer barrier exists, or a heritage exemption is formally documented.
2. Bins — council-compliant, vermin-proof rubbish and recycling bins provided.
3. Toilet — working, connected to sewer or approved wastewater system, in a separate room. Outdoor toilet exceptions apply if there is a second toilet or the building is a pre-1991 Class 1a building.
4. Bathroom — washbasin plus shower or bath with continuous hot and cold water. Shower head rated WELS 3-star minimum (1- or 2-star heads are allowed where the property's age or plumbing prevents a 3-star installation; upgrading to 4-star for new agreements from 1 March 2027).
5. Kitchen — sink with hot and cold water, stove top with at least two burners, functioning oven if one is provided (a property listed under the Heritage Act 2017 may qualify for a Heritage Council Victoria exemption).
6. Laundry — if laundry facilities exist on-site, they must connect to functional hot and cold water.
7. Structural soundness — roof, walls, ceilings, windows, floors, and support structures are sound and weatherproof. (More on this in our structural soundness guide.)
8. Mould and damp — all rooms free from mould and dampness caused by or related to the building structure. Structural leaks and rising damp are the landlord's responsibility; surface mould caused purely by tenant lifestyle habits is not.
9. Electrical safety — switchboard with circuit breakers and RCDs on all power and lighting circuits.
10. Window coverings — bedrooms and living areas have light-blocking, privacy-providing curtains or blinds.
11. Window cord safety — all internal corded window coverings have compliant cord anchors (enforced since 1 December 2025).
12. Window latches — all openable external windows have a functional latch.
13. Lighting — interior rooms, hallways, and corridors have adequate natural light by day (including borrowed light) and artificial light at night. A heritage exemption requires registration under the Heritage Act 2017 and an approved waiver.
14. Ventilation — habitable rooms, bathrooms, toilets, and laundries meet Building Code of Australia ventilation performance standards.
15. Heating — main living area has a fixed (non-portable) heater. For agreements entered on or after 29 March 2023, the heater must be energy-efficient (minimum 2-star rating), subject to apartment unreasonableness exemptions.

Assemble the Records

Since 13 October 2026, Sections 65C through 65F of the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 require you to retain documentary proof that the property met all minimum standards before advertising and before tenant move-in. CAV inspectors can demand these records, and failing to produce them is a separate offence — up to 60 penalty units ($12,546 for individuals in FY 2026–27).

Your compliance file should contain:

• Electrical Safety Check Report and COES.
• Gas Safety Check Report (with carbon monoxide test results).
• Section 68C draughtproofing clearance certificate, if applicable.
• Pool or spa Form 23 certificate, if applicable.
• A dated condition report with photos covering each of the 15 standards.
• Trade invoices and receipts for completed works (switchboard upgrade, heater installation, cord anchor fitting, etc.).
• The completed Mandatory Disclosure Statement.

Keep safety check records for at least five years and until two subsequent inspection cycles have passed. Minimum standards compliance records must be retained for at least seven years under Section 65F; that period also aligns with civil liability limitation periods.

Timing the Inspection Prep

The most common mistake is starting too late. Licensed electricians and gasfitters in metropolitan Melbourne are typically booked two to four weeks out, and that lead time stretches during peak re-leasing seasons (December–February). If you're preparing for a vacancy, start booking trade inspections at least six weeks before you intend to advertise.

Remember: under Section 65B, you can't even list the property until it meets every standard. Advertising a non-compliant property is a separate offence with the same 60 penalty unit maximum.

The Rental Minimum Standards in Victoria guide includes a 15-category audit sheet, a disclosure handover checklist, and a multi-year compliance calendar — the complete documentation system for keeping a property inspection-ready year-round, not just at re-leasing time.

See more Victoria guides →