Rental news
Tenants Union of Victoria Campaign
A bond (or security deposit) is paid to the landlord or real estate agent at the start of your tenancy to ensure you comply with your legal obligations as a tenant. This money is held by the Residential Tenancies Bond Authority (RTBA). At the end of the tenancy, the landlord may be able to claim all or part of the bond as compensation for damage to the property or for unpaid rent. There are many issues surrounding the recovery of bonds for tenants. To help campaign for better tenancy laws and practices in this area, the Tenants Union of Victoria are inviting feedback on experiences related to bond refunds. See more information about this campaign.
Inspecting a Property to Rent
Knowing what to look for in a rental property can be hard. The Tenants Union of Victoria has created a handy checklist that you can take when you inspect a property. Download the Property inspection checklist from the Tenants Union of Victoria website [PDF 39KB]
Rooming House Operators Bill 2015
The Rooming House Operators Bill 2015 bill proposes a licence system, with approval based on owners past criminal and financial history.
As a result of this bill, owners must prove that they are a "fit and proper person" to receive a rooming house license. It will be illegal to run a rooming house without a licence and registration with the local municipal council. This Bill will seek to limit the opportunities for exploitation, thereby making it safer for rooming house residents. This bill is likely to come into effect in 2017.
Calculating the rent per calendar month
As most months have more than 4 weeks/28 days, it is important to know that agents calculate rent per calendar month (PCM). If only the weekly rent is advertised, you will need to calculate the rent per calendar month. You do this by following the equation:
- Rent per week x 52 weeks ÷ 12 months
- Example: $200 (per week) x 52 weeks ÷ 12 months = $866.66 per calendar month.
To avoid any surprises at the beginning of your tenancy, ensure that you have calculated rent per calendar month.