‘A historic day’ for Victorian renters

The Victorian government is continuing to tout the benefits of the 130-plus rental reforms that are now in place across the state.

The State Minister for Consumer Affairs, Melissa Horne, has said that the rental reforms have already had a positive impact “for so many Victorians”.

She emphasised one of the earliest rule changes from 2 March 2020, which allowed renters to keep pets after asking their rental provider.

Ms Horne said that furry, feathered and scaled companions had all helped to “enrich” the lives of a number of renters through the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“These reforms are about giving renters the right to safe, secure and affordable accommodation, while ensuring rental providers can continue to manage their properties effectively,” she said.

Some of these reforms are outlined in an earlier REB article, which can be read here.

The 130-plus reforms are now impacting private rentals, caravan parks, rooming houses and residential parks.

Ms Horne added that rental providers will also see the benefit of these new laws — “with stronger accountability for renters, clearer obligations and modern regulation and processes”.

In anticipation of the reforms going live, the Real Estate Institute of Victoria did express concern that the reforms could add substantial costs and complexity to property maintenance and management for landlords.

REB has quoted REIV CEO Gil King as stating that the reforms would trigger an “unbalanced regulatory burden”, ultimately becoming a “deterrent for investment”.

Despite that, he does believe that the state’s real estate professionals will “manage through these changes and continue to contribute to a thriving sector”.

Grace Ormsby

Grace is a journalist across Momentum property and investment brands. Grace joined Momentum Media in 2018, bringing with her a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Communication (Journalism) from the University of Newcastle. She’s passionate about delivering easy to digest information and content relevant to her key audiences and stakeholders.