Rooming houses

Standards in rooming house and rental accommodation

Contact Print
We have produced 2 facts sheets providing guidance on legal requirements for rooming house and general rental accommodation.

These fact sheets are not exhaustive, but do provide a guide to provisions under the main pieces of legislation relevant to each tenure type.

For more information about rooming house standards, see Consumer Affairs Victoria.

Rooming houses

In the case of rooming houses, this includes information around:

  • Tenancy law
  • Health law
  • Building law
  • Fair trading law
  • Equal opportunity law.

Rental accommodation

In the case of general rental accommodation, this includes information around:

  • Tenancy law
  • Building law
  • Fair trading law
  • Equal opportunity law.
Collapse all Expand all

  • Tenancy law

    The Residential Tenancies Act 1997 (RTA) sets out the rights and duties of residents and owners or managers of rooming houses as well as residential tenants and landlords and/or their agents.

    Queries regarding the provisions in the Residential Tenancies Act should be directed to Consumer Affairs Victoria.

  • Health law

    The Public Health and Wellbeing Act 1958 requires proprietors of rooming houses to register with local council. Minimum standards for prescribed accommodation are set out in the Public Health and Wellbeing Regulations.

    Queries regarding the provisions of the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 1958 or the Public Health and Wellbeing Regulations should be directed to the relevant local council.

  • Building law

    Minimum standards for buildings exist to protect all building users, including the public. In Victoria they are set out in the Building Act 1993, the Building Regulations 2006 and the Building Code of Australia.

    For queries regarding the provisions of the Bulding Act or Building Code of Australia please refer to the Building Commission website.

  • Fair trading law

    The Fair Trading Act 1987 is the main legislation that protects consumers in Victoria. It sets out the rights and duties of both consumers (residents and tenants) and trader/supplier (owner/manager/landlord).

    Queries regarding the provisions of the Fair Trading Act 1987 should be directed to Consumer Affairs Victoria

  • Equal Opportunity law

    The provision of accommodation, including short term letting, is also bound by the Equal Opportunity Act 1995. The Equal Opportunity Act contains provisions against unlawful discrimination on the basis of 17 attributes including:

    • Age
    • Race
    • Sex
    • Disability
    • Religious belief
    • Parental status
    • Marital status
    • Physical features.

    Queries regarding the provisions of the Equal Opportunity Act should be directed to the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission.

Contacts
Consumer Affairs Victoria
1300 55 81 81
Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission
1300 891 848