Victorian rental law changes from 13 October 2026

From 13 October 2026, new rental rules start in Victoria. They affect every Victorian rental property you manage, including those on older leases. This article explains what changes and how to prepare in PropKeeper.

General information only, not legal advice. Check the official source: Consumer Affairs Victoria – new changes to the rental laws.

What changes

• Gas and electrical safety checks every 2 years. A qualified tradesperson must check the gas and electrical installations at every rental property. This applies to all rental agreements, whenever the agreement started, so leases signed before the change are covered too.
• Minimum standards records. You must keep records showing the property met the rental minimum standards before it was advertised or the renter moved in. You must give these records to Consumer Affairs Victoria if asked.
• Gasfitter inspection before draughtproofing. A licensed gasfitter must inspect the property within 6 months before any draughtproofing work.
• Advance notice before a bond claim. You must tell the renter in advance if you intend to claim on their bond.
• No application fees. It becomes an offence for a rental provider or agent to charge a renter a fee to apply for a property.

Why it matters

Penalties can apply if you don't meet the requirements. If your lease started before 2021, you may never have had these checks done.

This round of changes is less about new repairs and more about records. Most landlords already get their properties serviced. The weak point is evidence. If a renter disputes a condition or Consumer Affairs Victoria asks for proof, a dated record is far stronger than "I'm sure the sparky came out last year". Missing records can also weaken your position if a dispute goes to VCAT. Self-managing landlords, who have no agency compliance team, are the most exposed.

What PropKeeper does for you

• Banner. Until 31 October 2026, teams with a Victorian property see a banner explaining the changes, with a link to Consumer Affairs Victoria.
• Readiness check on 13 October 2026. PropKeeper looks at every Victorian property with an active or upcoming lease. If there is no electrical safety check recorded in the last 24 months, it adds a pending Electrical Safety Check due 13 October 2026. It does the same for the Gas Safety Check where the property's hot water is gas.
• One summary per team. The team owner gets a single in-app notification and email listing the affected properties.
• Rental Minimum Standards Records. A new Victorian compliance type you can log against each property. Its description includes a checklist of the minimum standards.

Your 13 October checklist

1. List every Victorian rental you own and note each lease start date.
2. Book the checks. Arrange a qualified electrician, and a licensed gasfitter if the property has gas, for each property flagged. If a property has no check in the last two years, book now, because tradies are likely to get busy.
3. Record the result. Open the property, go to the Compliance tab and edit the pending check. Enter the date the check was done and when it expires (2 years later), and upload the certificate or invoice.
4. Log your minimum standards records. On each property, choose Log New Check, pick Rental Minimum Standards Records, and upload evidence such as photos, a condition report or invoices. The evidence should be dated before the lease started.
5. Check your gas supply. PropKeeper only flags the gas check where hot water type is set to gas. If gas is supplied to the property in another way (for example, gas heating or a cooktop), add a Gas Safety Check yourself.
6. Planning draughtproofing? Get a licensed gasfitter to inspect within 6 months before the work starts.
7. Update your end-of-lease process so the renter gets advance notice before any bond claim.
8. Remove any application fees from your listings and application process.
9. Keep the records. If Consumer Affairs Victoria asks for them, you can find everything on the property's compliance tab.

Start your free 30-day trial and run the Victorian readiness check across your portfolio. See also: compliance tracking features and pricing.

Frequently asked questions

Does this apply to my existing leases? Yes. The 2-yearly checks apply to all rental agreements, whenever they started.

My property has no gas. Do I still need a check? You still need the electrical check. A gas check only applies where there is a gas installation.

I already had a check last year. Do I need another? No. A check recorded within the last 24 months counts, so PropKeeper won't flag that property. Make sure the date and certificate are recorded.

Is PropKeeper giving legal advice? No. This is general information. Check the Consumer Affairs Victoria page above or seek advice for your situation.