Vast majority of Victorian rentals escape safety inspections

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 29 Oct, 18:38 · Archive

Only one in every 1,000 rental properties in Victoria is inspected for minimum standards compliance despite nearly one in three households renting.

Almost one in three Victorian households are renting, but barely any of the 650,000-plus rental properties are being inspected to ensure they meet minimum standards. According to a Tenants Victoria report published Friday, only one in every 1,000 rentals are inspected, with some 600 inspections completed in the past two years by a rental taskforce.

The 15 minimum standards cover functioning shower heads, secure window latches, working stoves, operational toilets and mould-free walls. Nearly 80 per cent of Victorian renters surveyed in a 2025 poll reported having at least one problem with their rental, but only two per cent took complaints to tribunal. Tenants Victoria head Jennifer Beveridge said tenants feared speaking up over worries about losing their homes.

Tenants Victoria is calling for a mandatory rental property registration scheme requiring landlords to lodge evidence that properties meet minimum standards and safety checks. The register would allow the regulator, Consumer Affairs Victoria, to better target inspections. Changes to rental laws came into effect in October, mandating that owners keep records showing properties met minimum standards before being advertised or occupied.

How it is being reported

• Tiny fraction of rentals inspected amid housing crunchAlmost one in three Victorian households are renting but barely any of the properties are being inspected to ensure they're complying with minimum standards.The West Australian · 29 Oct, 18:03
• Tiny fraction of rentals inspected amid housing crunchAlmost one in three Victorian households are renting but barely any of the properties are being inspected to ensure they're complying with minimum standards.Perth Now · 29 Oct, 18:03

In this story: Victoria · Tenants Victoria · Consumer Affairs Victoria · Jennifer Beveridge

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log