Victorian Rental Minimum Standards
Is your investment property rental ready?
In Victoria, rental properties must meet mandatory minimum standards designed to ensure renters have a safe, secure and functional home.
Rental providers and their agents are responsible for ensuring a property meets these standards before it is advertised or offered for rent, and before a renter moves in.
At Gunther Real Estate, staying across changing rental legislation and compliance requirements is an important part of how we manage our clients’ properties. Below is a quick overview of the current Victorian rental minimum standards.
Bathroom
Bathrooms must have a washbasin and a shower or bath, with a reasonable supply of hot and cold water. Shower heads must generally have a minimum 3-star water efficiency rating, subject to limited exceptions.
Electrical Safety
Rental properties must have a compliant switchboard with appropriate circuit breakers and electrical safety switches (RCDs). Electrical compliance should be assessed by a qualified electrician.
Heating
A fixed heater in good working order must be provided in the property’s main living area. For rental agreements entered into from 29 March 2023, the heater must generally meet the required energy-efficiency standard.
Kitchen
The property must have a dedicated cooking and food preparation area, a working sink with hot and cold water and a working stovetop with at least two burners. If an oven is provided, it must be in good working order.
Laundry
Where a laundry is provided, it must be connected to a reasonable supply of hot and cold water.
Lighting
Rooms, corridors and hallways must have adequate lighting. This includes access to natural light during the day and artificial light when required.
Locks & Security
External entry doors must have appropriate functioning locks. Generally, they must be lockable from the outside while allowing occupants to exit from the inside without a key.
Mould & Damp
Rooms must be free from mould and damp where the cause relates to the building’s structure.
Structural Soundness
The property must be structurally sound and weatherproof.
Toilets
Toilets must be in good working order, appropriately located and connected to an approved sewerage, wastewater or septic system.
Ventilation
Habitable rooms and areas including bathrooms, showers, toilets and laundries must have adequate ventilation in accordance with applicable building requirements.
Vermin-Proof Bins
Rental providers must ensure rubbish and recycling bins are available. The bins must be vermin-proof and meet local council collection requirements.
Windows
Openable external windows must have functioning latches or locks to secure them against external entry. They must also be capable of remaining in the open or closed position.
Window Coverings
Bedrooms and living areas must have suitable curtains or blinds that can be opened and closed, block light and provide privacy.
Window Covering & Blind Cord Anchors
From 1 December 2025, corded internal window coverings such as blinds and curtains must have appropriate anchors installed to secure cords and prevent dangerous loops from forming.
Staying Compliant
Rental minimum standards are an important part of owning and managing an investment property in Victoria — but they are only one part of a rental provider’s wider compliance responsibilities.
At Gunther Real Estate, our property management team works closely with rental providers to identify maintenance and compliance requirements, coordinate qualified trades where required and help keep investment properties up to date with Victoria’s changing rental regulations.
If you’re unsure whether your property meets the current requirements, speak with our Property Management team. We can help you understand what may need attention before your property is offered for rent.
Compliance & Penalties
Victoria’s rental minimum standards are mandatory, and rental providers are legally responsible for ensuring their property complies.
Non-compliance can attract penalties of up to 60 penalty units for an individual or 300 penalty units for a company — currently more than $12,500 and $62,000 respectively.
With further energy efficiency standards being introduced from 2027, staying ahead of compliance is increasingly important. At Gunther Real Estate, we take a proactive approach, helping our rental providers understand upcoming requirements, plan ahead and keep their properties compliant.
New Energy Efficiency Standards Coming in 2027
From March 2027, Victoria will begin introducing new minimum energy efficiency standards for rental properties, covering heating, cooling, hot water systems, shower heads, ceiling insulation and draughtproofing.
The requirements will be phased in, with different standards applying at different times or trigger points, such as when a new rental agreement begins or an existing system needs replacing.
You can read more about these changes on the Consumer Affairs Victoria website here