Rental agencies in Victoria have continued to come under fire from the state’s governing body, with one agency charged and two more facing criminal proceedings.
Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV) has continued to crack down on real estate agencies lodging late bond payments with the state’s Residential Tenancies Bond Authority (RTBA).
Western Regional Real Estate Pty Ltd, trading as MASPROP Real Estate, has been hit with a $21k fine after pleading guilty to three charges of late bond lodgement.
The agency accepted more than $100,000 across 51 bonds, with some lodged more than a year late.
Magistrate Siobhan Whittle described the offence as “serious,” saying the rules should not be treated as an “administrative inconvenience.”
Separate disciplinary proceedings against MASPROP Real Estate and director Mitre Stojcevski remain before the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).
Additionally, CAV said criminal proceedings against two other agencies were underway.
The body claimed that Nasheet Enterprises Pty Ltd, trading as Zed Real Estate, allegedly failed to lodge 37 bonds valued at $142k, with some up to 11 months late.
Similarly, CAV alleged that M & K Investment Solutions failed to lodge 35 bonds within the required timeframe or at all.
The matters are listed before the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court in October and November, respectively.
Under the state’s law, rental providers and their agents must lodge bonds with the RTBA within 10 days of receiving the bond.
“Renters can now pay their bond money directly to the RTBA, giving them more security and peace of mind, and streamlining the process for rental providers and agents.”
“Consumer Affairs Victoria will continue to take action where rental agencies fail to meet their obligations under Victoria’s rental laws,” CAV said.
These actions come after Victoria’s Renting Taskforce became a permanent fixture of the state’s compliance enforcement.
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