What do I need to rent out my house in Victoria?

A home that meets the 15 minimum standards, records that show it, current gas, electrical and smoke alarm checks, the prescribed rental agreement, a condition report, your pre-agreement disclosures and a fixed advertised rent.

How much bond can a landlord ask for in Victoria?

Up to one month's rent. A higher bond is only allowed if the weekly rent is over $900 or VCAT approves it. The bond is lodged with the RTBA, which holds it until the tenancy ends.

Is rent bidding illegal in Victoria?

Yes. You can't ask for or invite offers above the advertised rent, and since 25 November 2025 you can't accept them either, even if a renter offers more unprompted. Rentals must be advertised at one fixed price.

Can I take listing photos while tenants still live there?

Yes, with 7 days' written notice. The renter can object in writing to photos of belongings that identify them or are valuable, and, if they object, ask to see the photos before you use them.

How to rent out your house in Victoria

Q: Do I need a property manager to rent out my home?

No. You can manage it yourself. Anyone in the business of leasing property for other people must hold an estate agent's licence or be an authorised agent's representative.

Victoria's rental laws changed several times between November 2025 and October 2026, and many guides haven't caught up. This is what a first-time rental provider (landlord) needs to do, from the minimum standards to the listing photos, as of October 2026.

Updated 29 October 2026 · 7 min read

Key takeaways

Your home must meet all 15 rental minimum standards before you advertise it, and since 13 October 2026 you must keep records that prove it.
Advertise one fixed rent. Price ranges and accepting offers above the advertised rent are both banned.
Bond is capped at one month's rent unless the rent is over $900 a week, and it's held by the RTBA, not you.
Private landlords can upload up to 20 photos on realestate.com.au, so plan the shot list around what renters check.
If renters still live there, give 7 days' written notice for photos and keep their belongings out of shot.

Before you list: the checklist

Talk to your lender and insurer. A loan or home policy set up for living there may not suit a rental.
Decide whether you'll manage it yourself or use a licensed property manager (see the table below).
Check the home against the 15 minimum standards with CAV's rental provider checklist, fix anything that falls short, and keep the invoices and photos as your record.
Book the gas and electrical safety checks if they're more than two years old (gas only if the home has gas), and the annual smoke alarm check.
Fit anchors to the cords of any corded blinds or curtains.
Set one fixed weekly rent by comparing similar homes for rent nearby.
Book listing photos once the place is clean and empty, or arrange notice with the current renters.
Prepare the paperwork: the prescribed rental agreement, the condition report, your disclosures and CAV's Renters guide.

This is general information about Victorian rental law as of October 2026, not legal advice. Check the Consumer Affairs Victoria pages linked below before you sign anything.

Minimum standards and what changed in 2025 and 2026

Every rental home must meet 15 categories of minimum standards: bathrooms, electrical safety, heating, kitchen, laundry, lighting, locks, mould and damp, structural soundness, toilets, ventilation, vermin-proof bins, windows, window coverings and window covering anchors. Five worth checking first:

Heating: a fixed, energy-efficient heater in the main living area. A portable heater doesn't count.
Electrical safety: a modern switchboard with circuit breakers and safety switches.
Showers: a shower head with a 3-star water rating, unless one can't be fitted.
Locks: deadlocks, or locks that open with a key from outside and without one from inside, on external entry doors.
Window coverings: curtains or blinds that block light in bedrooms and living areas, with any cords anchored.

Victorian rental law changes, from Consumer Affairs Victoria (updated 14 October 2026).
From	What changed
25 Nov 2025	Homes must meet the minimum standards when advertised, not just at move-in. All rental bidding banned. No-fault evictions banned. 90 days' notice for rent increases. Annual smoke alarm checks for every rental.
1 Dec 2025	Corded blinds and curtains must have anchors.
31 Mar 2026	A standard rental application form is mandatory, and you can only ask for what it covers.
9 Sep 2026	Renters can choose to pay their bond straight to the RTBA.
13 Oct 2026	Keep records showing the home met the standards before it was advertised. Gas and electrical checks every two years for all rentals. No fees for applications or paying rent. Notice and evidence before any bond claim.
1 Mar 2027	New energy efficiency standards start in phases: heating, cooling, hot water, shower heads, ceiling insulation and draughtproofing.
1 Jun 2027	A cap on lease break fees, and rules on extra keys and fobs.

What your rental listing must and must not say

Victoria bans rental bidding outright. In 2024 to 2025 CAV's Renting Taskforce issued more than 50 fines, totalling over $600,000, for rentals advertised without a fixed price. Since October 2025, realestate.com.au and Domain won't publish a rental listing without a single fixed price.

One fixed rent. No price range and no 'price plus'. A sign at the property can leave the rent off.
No higher offers. You can't ask for, invite or accept rent above the advertised price, even if a renter offers it unprompted.
No more than one month's rent in advance, unless the rent is over $900 a week.
Standards first. It's an offence to advertise a home that doesn't meet the minimum standards.
Nothing misleading about the location, features, facilities or how the home can be used. That includes photos that hide problems.
No fees to inspect the property or to apply.
The prescribed application form only. Don't ask about bond history, past disputes with landlords, or for full bank statements.

What you must tell renters before they sign

Disclosure is part of the process too. Before the agreement is signed you must tell the renter, among other things:

if you plan to sell, or a lender is taking action to repossess
whether the home meets the minimum standards
the dates of the last gas and electrical safety checks, and any work they recommended
any repair notices for structural mould or damp in the last 3 years
known asbestos, and any known homicide, drug trafficking or drug cultivation there in the last 5 years
building orders, planning applications affecting the property, embedded electricity networks and owners corporation rules

Bond and the condition report

A bond is optional. If you ask for one, it can't be more than one month's rent unless the weekly rent is over $900 or VCAT has set a higher amount. You start the lodgement on the RTBA website, which holds the money in trust until the tenancy ends. The renter can pay you, pay the RTBA directly, or transfer an existing bond. The RTBA doesn't accept cash.

The condition report is your main evidence at the end of the tenancy. The rules:

Use CAV's condition report template and record anything unclean, damaged or not working, inside and out.
Sign it and give the renter 2 copies (or 1 electronic copy) before they move in.
The renter returns a signed copy, with any changes, within 5 business days of moving in.
Attach dated, labelled photos, especially of existing damage.
At the end, complete the exit condition report within 10 days, giving the renter a fair chance to be there.
To claim on the bond, give the renter notice and evidence at least 3 business days before lodging the claim. The evidence can't contradict the condition report.

Listing photos and condition photos do different jobs. Listing photos show the home at its best; condition photos record every mark. Take both, and keep the condition set with the report.

Self-managing or a property manager?

You can manage your own rental. Anyone in the business of leasing property for other people must hold an estate agent's licence or be an authorised agent's representative, so check CAV's public register. Ask any agency for a written list of its fees and what they cover.

What each job involves under Victorian rules. What a manager covers depends on the agreement you sign with them.
Job	What the law asks	Self-managing	With a property manager
Advertising	One fixed rent; standards met and recorded before the ad goes up	You write and list the ad and organise photos	The manager lists it; you approve the rent and photos
Applications	Prescribed form only; renters' details protected, and unsuccessful applicants' details destroyed within 30 days of the lease being signed	You collect and check applications	The manager screens; you choose
Bond and paperwork	RTBA lodgement, condition report, prescribed agreement, Renters guide, disclosures	You run each step	The manager prepares them; you supply the disclosure details
Inspections	Routine inspections only after the first 3 months, at most every 6 months, with 7 days' notice	You give notice and attend	The manager inspects and reports back
Repairs and safety	Urgent repairs; gas and electrical checks every 2 years; smoke alarms every year	You book trades and keep records	The manager books trades; you approve costs
Rent increases	90 days' written notice	You track dates and send notices	The manager sends them

Listing photos that help a rental lease

Renters scroll the photos to check the things they'll live with every day. Shoot those clearly, in order, and you answer their questions before they book an inspection. realestate.com.au suggests starting with the outside, then the living areas, kitchen, bedrooms and outdoor spaces.

A 20-photo plan for a three-bedroom house, the most a private landlord can upload to realestate.com.au.
Shot	Photos	What renters look for
Front of the home	2	Street appeal and the entry
Living areas	3	Space, light and the fixed heater
Kitchen	2	Bench space, stovetop, oven and storage
Dining or study	1	Where they'll eat or work
Bedrooms	4	Each bedroom, plus built-in robes
Bathroom and toilet	2	Shower, vanity and storage
Laundry	1	Space for a washer and dryer
Outdoor areas	3	Yard, deck or balcony, and the clothesline
Parking and storage	2	Garage, carport or shed

Shoot in daylight with every blind open and every light on.
Show the fixed heater and the blinds, since both are minimum standards.
Use REA's recommended 2000 x 1500 pixels (4:3), JPEG or PNG, in RGB, under 20 MB each.
No text, contact details or collages, and no people or pets unless they can't be avoided.
Keep it accurate. Don't hide damage or permanent features, and label any virtually staged room. See photo editing and staging rules in Victoria.

If renters still live there

Give 7 days' written notice to enter for photos or video. Entry is between 8 am and 6 pm, not on public holidays, and the photographer can come in with you.
The renter can object in writing to photos of belongings that could identify them, are valuable, or would be unreasonable to move or hide. If they object, those things stay out of shot.
If they've objected, they can also ask to see the photos first, and you can't use them until they agree in writing.
Photos taken for another reason, such as a routine inspection, can only be used in an ad with the renter's written consent.
Once either side has given notice to end the agreement, showings for new renters can happen in the last 21 days, twice a week at most, for up to an hour each.

We photograph rentals across Greater Melbourne for owners and property managers. We work with the notice process, keep belongings out of frame or blur them on request, and deliver photos the next business day, sized for realestate.com.au and Domain. See rental and Airbnb photography, our Airbnb photography guide for short stays, or get a quote.

Sources