Renting Out a Property in Victoria: A Compliance Checklist

Getting a property ready to rent in Victoria involves more than a coat of paint and a clean. There are safety and maintenance items worth sorting before tenants move in — both to meet your obligations and to avoid problems down the track. Here’s a practical checklist.

Safety items

• Smoke alarms installed, working, correctly located and within their service life.
• Electrical safety — safety switches in place and the switchboard in good order. Older properties may need an inspection.
• Gas safety — gas appliances and connections checked by a licensed professional.

Specific requirements and inspection timeframes are set by Victorian regulations and can change, so confirm the current rules for your situation with Consumer Affairs Victoria or a qualified tradesperson.

Plumbing

• Fix leaking taps, running toilets and any drainage that’s slow.
• Check the hot water system is reliable — a failure soon after move-in is a guaranteed complaint.
• Clear gutters and drains so the first big rain doesn’t cause issues.

General condition

• Sort small repairs — sticking doors, cracked plaster, worn seals — while the place is empty and access is easy.
• Check for damp, mould and ventilation problems and deal with the cause.
• Make sure wet areas are sound and weather-tight.

Do the fiddly jobs while it’s empty

An empty property is the easiest time to get maintenance done — no coordinating around a tenant’s schedule, full access to every room. It’s worth front-loading the work so the property starts the tenancy in good shape.

Having one team handle the plumbing, electrical and general maintenance in a single visit makes getting a property rent-ready far simpler — and gives you documentation of what was done.

This is general guidance only — always confirm current legal obligations for your property.