PROPERTY REPORT - ISSUE 75

Guide For New Landlords

A few things have changed in the rental space over the last few years – the least of which is the terms rental providers instead of landlord and renter instead of tenant. But although the terms are arbitrary, the new safety regulations are not.

If you are thinking of renting your home, here is a quick checklist to make sure your home meets the new safety standards:

1. Dead locks.
   • External doors and windows in a rental property must be able to be locked or secured. While this is a no-brainer, don’t forget you will need deadlocks on external doors that automatically lock when closed.
   • Exemptions to this rule include sliding doors or screen doors that don’t fit deadlocks. Each person named on the rental agreement must be given a copy of a key or security device.
2. Electrical, gas and smoke alarm safety checks.
   • Every 12 months a property needs a smoke alarm safety check, and every 2 years, gas and electrical.
   • These checks now need to be completed before a renter moves in. If your renter requests a copy of the compliance certificates and you are unable to provide them, significant fines apply.
   • Even if you believe that your property is new and built to code, remember: Victorian building laws don’t talk to Victorian renting laws. So although you may legally be able to live in or sell your home, you may not be allowed to rent it.
   • These checks will also identify energy-saving areas as well as outdated or unsafe connections in the home.
3. Switchboards
   • While switchboards are covered under safety checks, they deserve their own point.
   • The electrical safety standard requires that rental properties must have modern-style switchboards, with circuit breakers and electrical safety switches installed. Electrical safety switches are correctly known as residual current devices (RCD, RCCB or RCBO).
   • In the interest of “sticking to my lane”, I won’t attempt to explain the similarities and differences of the three circuit breakers. I recommend you speak to a trusted electrician about what is required at your property.
4. Curtain and blind cords
   • Curtain and blind cords need to be secured to walls using plastic devices. This may seem odd, when all new curtain installations come with these attachments, but for some older properties, they may be missing. This is to reduce the risk of strangulation of children. These devices can be ordered for free through Consumer Affairs and conveniently screwed to window frames.

This list isn’t exhaustive, but it is a quick guide to the requirements for a modern rental property.

If it seems all too hard, but you still want to rent your property, remember: you deserve protection as much as a renter. Some may think that renting privately avoids these rules, but it doesn’t. Even if someone you trust moves into your home on a rental agreement, the risk of not meeting Minimum Standards outweighs the cost (not to mention the $11,095 fine).

On the other hand, if you engage an agent who knows the rules, and can recommend ways to simplify the process and reduce cost, renting can still be a rewarding avenue for investors or homeowners seeking to keep their house.

If you have further questions about the details, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Rob and Isabella at Integrity Real Estate Rentals – 0448 820 022 – servicing Kinglake, Kinglake West, Flowerdale and surrounds. Don’t compromise on excellence in service with something so important.